An external panel led by former Calgary police chief Rick Hanson will review food safety in kitchens that provide food in licensed child-care facilities across Alberta and make recommendations on how to better protect children.

Following the E. coli outbreak in Calgary, Premier Danielle Smith directed Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange and Minister of Children and Family Services Searle Turton to conduct a full assessment on this outbreak. Both ministers will work with the panel to find ways to strengthen legislation and inspection processes that govern food safety in food establishments serving licensed, child-care facilities.

The panel will also include (to a maximum of six members):

• parents
• licensed facility-based child-care operators
• food service operators
• food safety and public health experts

“I am so pleased to hear that more children are recovering from E. coli. During the past weeks, our attention has been focused on their health and on the investigation into the outbreak. Now, we must begin our work to ensure that Alberta children and families never experience something like this again. I appreciate Rick Hanson’s support in chairing this panel and I look forward to receiving their report and recommendations.”