Two Ottawa tattoo businesses ranked in the bottom five of health inspection violations so far in 2017, according to an analysis of Ottawa Health Inspection data.

Future Skin Tattoo and Body Piercing Services (176 violations) and Ink City Tattoos and Piercings (152) tallied the third and fifth most failed health inspections respectively through the first nine months of the year.

The businesses that have ranked first, second, and fourth in violations so far this year are restaurant chains Tim Horton’s, McDonald’s and Subway. While all three of those restaurant businesses have several locations across Ottawa, both Future Skin and Ink City only have one location each. The two tattoo parlours were located about a block away from one another on Rideau Street, before Ink City closed its doors earlier this fall for unknown reasons.

Julie Beaule, the owner of Future Skin, says that despite the vast number of violations so far this year, inspections have never slowed or stopped her business.

“Getting a warning from the health board is not scary, it is normal,” said Beaule.

The Ottawa health board issues warnings on violations found during their inspections and, depending on the severity of the violation, will give a business time to rectify the mistake in their standards and procedures. An investigator will then return to make sure that the business has remedied the violation(s).

“If a tattoo place is worried about the health board, then it means that there is a big problem there. Maybe they are not doing the right procedures”, said Beaule.

The city requires at least one in-person inspection per year, but could show up at tattoo businesses’ doorsteps more often if there have been issues with violations. Tattoo parlours are also required to have their autoclave machines tested for spores by an outside company, and then submitted to the city, every two weeks.

An autoclave is a pressure chamber that uses air to sterilize tattooing equipment and supplies. Future Skin has yet fail an autoclave spore test this year. According to Beaule, who has two autoclaves, the machines tend to cost as much as $20,000 to purchase brand-new.

Veronica Piasta, an employee who has experience with sterilization at Silverline Tattoo and Body Piercing on Rideau Street who has experience sterilizing, says that new standards have had an impact on Ottawa’s tattoo businesses, but not a negative one. Needles used for tattooing and piercing have almost always been one-use then thrown out, but now businesses have shifted even more of their equipment towards disposable because it is a cheaper alternative.

“We have never really had any issues with inspections,” said Piasta. “More failed inspections usually means [workers are] not as experienced in standards and practice. We have been in the business for a long time and we are pretty knowledgeable in cross-contamination and blood-borne pathogens.”

Beaule has owned Future Skin for nearly 25 years. A native of Quebec, Beaule says that Ontario’s high public health standards should be the archetype for a behind-the-times Quebec, as well as for the rest of Canada.

“The Government [of Ontario] is very caring about its population and it is a good thing,” said Beaule.

Beaule describes the relationship between tattoo businesses and Ottawa Public Health as one of cooperation and growth. New standards and measures are adopted every year and the result is an improved tattoo and piercing sector. She says that she appreciates the health board’s role in protecting businesses and the population.

“Everything in life comes with responsibility. If my shop isn’t doing what we are supposed to be doing, then I hope the health board would shut us down,” said Beaule.