Environmental Health

Environmental Health helps protect human health by addressing issues such as food safety, drinking water quality, pest control, contaminants, compliance inspections related to tobacco sales, and any other factors in the environment that might impact human health.

The Department’s Environmental Health Program is carried out by Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) and support staff located in Hay River, Inuvik, and Yellowknife. The EHOs are certified public health inspectors through the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI), and are delegated powers as Public Health Officers by the Chief Public Health officer under the NWT Public Health Act.

EHOs spend most of their time working in these areas:

Food Establishment Inspections

Food Safety Training

Child Day Care Facility Inspections

Housing and Health

Drinking Water Quality and Safety

Rabies Preventions (animal bite investigation)

Public Swimming Pool Inspections

Personal Service Establishment Inspections (hair stylist/barber, tattooist, piercers, massage therapists, etc.)

Tobacco Control Act Inspections (inspections of tobacco retailers for compliance with the legislation)

Contaminants

Communicable Disease – foodborne (E. coli, Salmonella, etc.) and Vector borne (West Nile Virus, Malaria, etc.) diseases

Food Establishment Permits (Annual/Seasonal/Temporary), and Personal Services Establishment

Environmental Health News and Advisories