Alberta Health Services has issued a closure order for the food establishment at Edmonton's Bhartiya Cultural Society of Alberta, at 9507 39 Avenue N.W.
An executive officer issued the order verbally on August 28 and confirmed it in writing on August 31.
What inspectors found
According to the order, foods in both private and public food storage "were found to be contaminated by flies, mouse droppings and urine, unsanitary surfaces as well as cross contamination from other food ingredients."
Inspectors documented mouse droppings and urine on food and throughout the kitchen. They found nesting material on pots and bedding material in the facility. They recorded flies and ants, mould in a washroom, and a dishwasher that was not sanitizing.
The findings span food storage, food preparation surfaces, cookware and washrooms.
What the order requires
The order directs that the food establishment be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and involves a health inspector and a pest control company in the work.
A closure order under Alberta's Public Health Act closes a food establishment until the problems identified are corrected and a re-inspection is passed. It is not a permanent closure, and it applies to the food establishment rather than to the organization's other activities.
There is no published timeline for reopening. Rodent problems generally take longer to resolve than cleaning deficiencies, because entry points have to be located and sealed before an inspector will sign off.
A person directly affected by the order has ten days from receiving it to file a Notice of Appeal.
The order is listed as active on AHS's Edmonton Zone enforcement page, and it will remain there until it is lifted.
AHS closure orders in Alberta
AHS issues closure orders across a wide range of food establishments and community facilities, and publishes every active one by zone.
In 2021, the agency closed a Gleichen hotel and liquor store owned at the time by a sitting MLA, citing 18 violations including mouse droppings in the kitchen, bar and storage areas.
Earlier this month, a Filipino food establishment in Rocky View County was ordered closed after failing an inspection.
Any facility that prepares and serves food to the public is a food establishment under Alberta's Food Regulation, including temples, churches, gurdwaras, mosques, legion halls and community leagues. Volunteer-run kitchens are held to the same standards as commercial restaurants, covering food handler certification, temperature control, sanitizer use, dishwasher verification and pest control.
The closure comes at a busy time of year
The timing is worth noting, because temple kitchens run on a calendar.
The order was issued in late August, weeks ahead of the fall festival season. Navratri begins in October, followed by Diwali, and both bring some of the highest attendance and largest community meals of the year at Hindu temples across Alberta.
Congregational food service is central to how those events work, and a kitchen under a closure order can't provide it.
Whether the establishment reopens before then depends on how quickly the remediation is completed and re-inspected. The society hasn't said publicly what it plans for the fall schedule, or whether food service will be affected.
About the Bhartiya Cultural Society
The society is commonly known as the Edmonton Hindu Mandir and operates from the 39 Avenue location in southeast Edmonton.
Its own description calls it a religious and cultural hub for the South Asian community in the city. It has more than 10,000 followers on Facebook and hosts religious services, cultural programming and community events.
The society can be reached at 780-468-2106.
We have contacted the society for comment and will update this article with any response.
How to check an establishment or report a concern
AHS publishes health enforcement orders by zone on its website, and anyone can look up a specific facility. Orders appear as active while in effect.
The Edmonton Zone list is at albertahealthservices.ca under Environmental Public Health.
Questions about a specific order, or food safety complaints anywhere in Alberta, go to Environmental Public Health at 1-833-476-4743.
Sources
Closure order, Bhartiya Cultural Society of Alberta, 9507 39 Avenue NW, Edmonton, August 28, 2026 — Alberta Health Services
Edmonton Zone Health Enforcement Orders — Alberta Health Services
Alberta Public Health Act and Food Regulation
Prior closure orders as reported by Postmedia.
Comments
Conversation