MacEwan journalism student’s investigation triggers inspection reform in Alberta
A student-led investigation into Alberta’s restaurant inspections exposed years-long delays, low compliance rates and incomplete data. Weeks later, the province announced reforms. This is the story behind it.
The Alberta Legislature in Edmonton is pictured on Oct. 24, 2025. The building serves as the home of Alberta’s provincial government. Photo credit: Meral Ciplak
An investigation by MacEwan University journalism students has prompted government changes after uncovering major gaps in Alberta’s restaurant inspection system.
Students in winter 2025 reviewed three years of Alberta Health Services (AHS) inspection data. They discovered that fewer than one in four Edmonton food establishments met all safety requirements.
MacEwan journalism students discuss their investigation into restaurant inspections.
“We gathered a lot of data on restaurant inspections in the city and we found that less than a quarter of city food establishments fully comply with food safety regulations,” MacEwan professor Steve Lillebuen said.
The investigation documented long gaps between inspections and workers described inconsistent oversight in kitchens across the city.
“We were finding a lot of these facilities weren’t getting inspections for two or three years,” said student reporter David Slater.
Working with reporters from the Edmonton Journal, the students completed more than 200 interviews. They combined data analysis with their reporting to map inspection patterns across the city, rather than focusing on individual restaurants.
The team compared inspection timelines with worker accounts to see if delays in inspection matched what restaurant staff reported. They also reviewed inspection records across multiple years to assess how consistently health authorities conducted and documented inspections.
“We were all shocked by what we did find,” Lillebuen said, noting Alberta’s compliance rate fell behind other provinces.
Lillebuen said the government announced reforms a month after the investigation raised concerns about oversight and compliance.
He said the project demonstrated how local reporting can influence public policy. “Our work has led to changing government policy, which is going to make people safer,” he said.
Slater, who reviewed government reports and analyzed AHS inspection records, said the public data was challenging to work with.
“The data was incomplete at best,” he said.
Slater said the inspection delays aligned with what workers described in interviews. He said health authorities provided limited answers about data collection and reporting, which made verification difficult throughout the investigation.
The Alberta government has since introduced Bill 11, aimed at tightening enforcement and modernizing the province’s food-safety system. The proposed legislation includes stronger penalties for repeat violations, mandatory food-safety training, and improvements to public reporting of inspection records.
