Busy downtown Toronto supermarket shut down by health authorities

A big-name grocery store is not exactly what comes to mind when we think of "City of Toronto health code violations," but a downtown location of Canada's third-biggest supermarket chain was just forcibly shut down for a few major food safety issues.

The Metro store that has long stood right across from the city's famed St. Lawrence Market was ordered to close its doors on Thursday after inspectors deemed it unfit to remain open due to one crucial infraction that endangers saleable food directly, alongside a significant infraction and another minor one.

The main problem? A rat infestation — not exactly rare in Toronto, but still very yuck.

"Food premise maintained in manner permitting health hazard (Rodents)," reads the closure notice shared to the City's DineSafe page on March 13. The required action included a court summons and health hazard order, which were listed as "pending on March 17."

The store, at 80 Front Street East, was also found to have "failed to protect against harbouring of pests" (a significant infraction) and had a "food premise not maintained with food handling room in sanitary condition" (a minor infraction), and was handed a notice to comply in both cases.

Fortunately for the grocer, it looks like an inspection the following day ended with a pass, with "no infractions were observed under the Food Premises Regulation," per the City.

It reopened by Saturday morning for the busy weekend rush of shoppers, the vast majority of whom were likely unaware of the incident.