The city wants a list of restaurants and grocery stores with food violations to be made public, but critics say that doing so would essentially be shaming their owners.
It has some of them up in arms.
“Something like that should be private,” said Alisa Wilensky of Wilensky’s Light Lunch. “You don’t want the whole world to see [it].”
Recently, the city council voted unanimously to have restaurant and grocery stores put their provincial food inspection ratings on their doors.
Between 2017 and 2018, the number of restaurant violations in Montreal went up by 42 percent.
Pierrefonds mayor Jim Beis pointed to that statistic as evidence that the city needs to improve in the cleanliness of its restaurants.
“Not only is it helping the consumer, but the restauranteurs are also doing a better job of respecting their obligations when it comes to food safety,” he said.
Patrons say that the ratings absolutely would influence their decision of whether or not to eat at a particular restaurant.
“I’m very health oriented so if I would see a restaurant with a C or D, I would avoid it like the plague,” one said.
Some owners like the decision, which is similar to what New York City does.
“I’ve got nothing to hide, they’ve got nothing to hide,” said Vako Ohanian, who owns Lime Griffintown.
