Jul 24, 2008 - 11:19 AM

By Reka Szekely

DURHAM -- An Oshawa tattoo parlour briefly shut down by Durham's health department last summer and six Pickering restaurants were among those convicted of violations under Ontario's Health Protection and Promotion Act since January.

The conviction against Oshawa's Longhorn Custom Body Art stems from last summer when the Region temporarily shut down the parlour after finding a malfunctioning autoclave, which sterilizes the tattooing equipment.

The tattoo shop was convicted of knowingly furnishing false information to a public health inspector and fined $5,000.

"A number of people attended the parlour and the time line the equipment was malfunctioning couldn't be determined exactly and part of this led to the charge," said John Ingrao, manager of environmental services for Durham Region's health department. "The wording of the charge and the wording of the act speaks for itself."

Among the list of restaurants, Pickering's New Style Restaurant Buffet, on Kingston Road, faced the longest list of convictions with six. This included two convictions for storing food at an improper temperature. The restaurant was fined $700 for the violations and received suspended sentences for four other charges, which included failing to ensure floors and the walls in the food handling room were kept clean.

Mr. Ingrao said four of the violations were tried after the first two and no fines were imposed because the restaurant had met standards, however the convictions were recorded.

"That was all rectified and they were able to maintain a compliant operation," he said.

The Bourbon Street Grill in Pickering Town Centre was fined a total of $750 as a result of three convictions, including failing to keep the wall of food handling rooms clean, failing to ensure equipment surfaces washed as necessary. Also in Pickering Town Centre, the Bagel Stop was fined $245 after an operator failed to wash hands before resuming work.

Winston Shagwell's, also on Kingston Road, was fined a total of $1,000 for two convictions, failing to ensure the floor in the food handling room was kept clean and failing to ensure a facility surface was washed as necessary.

The Friendly Greek Restaurant, on Kingston Road, was fined $25 after an employee failed to wear headgear while working with food, and Sunrise Grill, also on Kingston Road, was fined $95 for failing to provide soap or detergent in a food preparation area.

An Oshawa restaurant, King's Buffet on Grandview Street South, was also convicted on two charges and ordered to pay $190. The first conviction was for a dishwasher not having sufficient chemical solution in it and the second was for failing to cover items to prevent contamination.

As well, 22 businesses were convicted of selling or supplying tobacco to a person under age 19 under the Smoke Free Ontario Act. Fines ranged from a suspended sentence to $3,500 for the Dominion Save-a-Centre on Whites Road in Pickering. Two businesses were fined for having lighted tobacco in workplaces, The Corral in Oshawa on Simcoe Street South and Circle Taxi on Brock Street North in Whitby,

A Port Perry business, Jared's Excavating of Portview Road, was fined $3,500 under the Building Code Act for failing to provide qualifications that meet the requirements of the act in order to engage in onsite construction installation or repairs to a sewage system.

Finally, an Oshawa dog owner, of Johnson Avenue, was fined $1,200 for failing to immunize a dog against rabies.

Though the convictions occurred this year, the majority of the charges were first laid in 2007.

OSHAWA

Health Protection and Promotion Act

King's Buffet (600 Grandview St. S.)

-$190 in fines for two convictions, not providing a dishwasher with sufficient chemicals and failing to cover items to prevent contamination

Longhorn Custom Body Art (12 Centre St. N.)

-$5,000 fine for knowingly furnishing false information to a public health inspector

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Oshawa Grand Convenience (219 Nonquon Rd.)

-$200 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Smokers Ways (129 King St. E.)

-$350 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

New Rave Convenience (1300 King St. E.)

-$350 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

The Corral (433 Simcoe St. S.)

-$250 fine for smoking or holding a lighted tobacco in a prohibited place

CLARINGTON

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Petro Canada (3005 Highway 115/35, Newcastle)

-$350 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Al's Variety&Party Supplies (239 King St. E., Bowmanville)

-$250 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Bowmanville Kings Milk (3 King St., Bowmanville)

-$250 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

PORT PERRY

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Manchester Convenience&Esso (1185 Regional Rd. 21)

-$250 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Esso (10550 Simcoe St. N.)

-$200 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Building Code Act

Jared's Excavating (230 Portview Rd.)

-$3,500 find for failing to provide qualifications that meet the requirements of the act to engage in onsite construction installation or repairs to a sewage system

WHITBY

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Garden Square Variety (3050 Garden St.)

-No fine, convicted sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Kendalwood Price Chopper (1801 Dundas St. E.)

-$1,000 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Kendalwood Smoker's Corner (1801 Dundas St. E)

-No fine, convicted of sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Q-Mart (1121 Dundas St. E.)

-$350 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Esso (4505 Baldwin St.)

-$100 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Esso (932 Brock St. N.)

-$250 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Circle Taxi (128 Brock St. N.)

-$250 fine for smoking or holding a lighted tobacco in a prohibited place

AJAX

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Heritage Convenience Plus (145 Kingston Rd. E.)

-$150 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

All in One Convenience (40 Old Kingston Rd.)

-$250 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

PICKERING

Health Promotion and Protection Act

New Style Restaurant and Buffet (375 Kingston Rd.)

-$700 fine total for two convictions, plus four convictions with a suspended sentence

-Violations included storing foods at an improper temperature and failing to ensure the floor and wall of the food handling room was kept clean

Bourbon St. Grill (1355 Kingston Rd.)

-$750 total in fines for three convictions, including failing to ensure wall of the food handling area was kept clean and operator failing to ensure equipment surface washed as necessary

Winston Shagwell's (736 Kingston Rd.)

-$1,000 in fines for two convictions

-Failed to ensure floor of food handling area was kept clean and failed to ensure facility surface washed as necessary

The Friendly Greek Restaurant (1450 Kingston Rd.)

-$25 fine after employee failed to wear headgear while working

Sunrise Grill (1550 Kingston Rd.)

-$95 fine for failing to provide soap or detergent in food preparation area

The Bagel Stop (1355 Kingston Rd.)

-$245 fine after operator failed to wash hands before resuming work

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Marksbury Variety (677 Marksbury Rd.)

-No fine, convicted sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Shell (935 Liverpool Rd.)

-No fine, convicted sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Allan's Your Independent Grocer (1900 Dixie Rd.)

-$350 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Gateway Newstand (1355 Kingston Rd.)

-$350 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Dominion Save-A-Centre

-$3,500 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old

Pic'N'Go Convenience (300 Kingston Rd. E.)

-$250 fine for sale or supply of tobacco to a person less than 19 years old