Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that the central kitchen, believed to be linked to the E. coli outbreak in Calgary that has sickened hundreds of children, has been closed indefinitely, and she ordered a review of all shared kitchens serving daycares in the city.

Smith also stated that she will provide a one-time payment of $2,000 to the parents of children affected by the outbreak and called on the impacted daycares to reimburse parents for any fees incurred while their children were unable to attend daycare.

This comes after an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, which can cause serious problems. The outbreak has led to children being hospitalized, with some undergoing dialysis after developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a disease that affects the kidneys.

Health officials also said that the likely source of the outbreak is linked to a shared kitchen that provides food to the affected daycares, although the exact cause of the outbreak remains unknown.

Smith became emotional during a news conference on Friday, saying that the only comfort she can offer is that every sick child receives the best possible care.

She also mentioned that there should be new regulations and standards regarding central kitchens serving childcare centers, and the province has begun reviewing those kitchens, led by Minister of Children's and Family Services Cyril Turton.

In the environmental inspection report for the kitchen at KidsU Centennial - Fueling Minds Inc.—the shared kitchen used by the daycares believed to be linked to the outbreak—AHS detailed major health issues, including cockroach infestations and unsafe food handling on September 5, the date of the inspection that took place the day after the outbreak was announced.

AHS stated that the inspection also found instances of food not being handled in a way that makes it safe to eat and a lack of proper equipment to keep food cold during transport.

The report also shows other violations mentioned on several dates prior to the September inspection, including repeated violations concerning the kitchen's dishwasher.

For his part, Dr. Mark Joffe, Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health, stated that he understands parents' concerns about why the central kitchen was allowed to continue operating after a number of violations, but he said that under public health law, AHS does not have the ability to permanently close a food handling facility unless severe violations continue.

There have been concerns about this facility, and our public health inspectors have doubled their visits. Joffe mentioned that the last routine inspection of the kitchen occurred in late April 2023.

He also added that two violations were found at that time and were corrected by the end of the day.

Smith indicated that she will also look into whether a legal change is needed regarding how kitchens operate.