Eggspectation in Old Montreal has the highest number of food violations, according to an analysis of Montreal’s restaurant-inspection database.

The violations include complaints of insects and rodents, contamination, and improper food storage. The 201 Saint-Jacques St. location has been forced to shut down.

Head office intervened and closed the franchise, but not before a long court battle.

According to a food-safety expert, this court case exposes a weakness in the city’s restaurant inspection system; it is too difficult to close down repeat offenders, and there is no way to warn customers.

That restaurant ­– part of Canada’s Eggspectation Franchise – closed down last January.

It took three years to close it down and half a million dollars in legal fees, said Pradeep Anand, head office manager. “It took so long because he legally resisted.”

After several complaints from employees and customers, head office decided to bring the franchise owner to court.

In 2008, head office was legally able to stop the franchise owner from operating the restaurants. But the owner appealed and obtained permission to continue operating.

Anand is disappointed the city did not try to permanently close down the restaurant.

He said the city should make a greater effort to close down repeat offenders. “It should be something that is incremental depending on the severity of infestation. If there seems to be no attempt to rectify then they should close down.”

The city fined the restaurant $26,000 in food violations, the second highest total amount.

The $26,000 is more than 14 times higher than the median fine of $1,400.

A city spokesperson Valerie Degnagner said there’s little it can do to permanently shut down repeat offenders, the real power rests with the province.

“If they don’t confirm to what Montreal city inspectors are asking, we can close down their establishment for five days. But over that is has to be the Quebec government.”

The city did close down the restaurant for two to three days at a time.

Food safety expert, François Décary-Gilardeau said Montreal needs a better restaurant inspection system, perhaps one modelled on Toronto’s Dinesafe program.

The current system is a lengthy and difficult process. He said it can take years before the city has the power to temporarily close down restaurants.

And because of that he said Montreal should look at cities like Toronto and make food inspection violations more readily available to the public.

With DineSafe, each inspection results in a pass, a conditional pass or a closed notice. “It’s really great because you have a Google map and you have all the little dots. Green for pass, yellow for conditional and red for closed.”

Décary-Gilardeau said this kind of system is one step ahead because the results are publicized even before they receive a fine. “I think it will give a lot of interest for restaurants to improve the management of their food.”

As of now Montreal does not have this kind of system in place.

A map of restaurants that have received food violation fines in Montreal. Source: City of Montreal.

The map shows a large portion of food violations in Montreal are in Chinatown.

In 2012, there were over 10,000 food inspections in Montreal and over 2000 infractions.