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In a national first, the Ontario government is moving to require automatic external defibrillators on construction sites, a step officials say will save lives and create safer workplaces across the province.
The proposed changes, expected to be tabled in the coming days, would mandate AEDs at construction projects expected to last three months or longer and employ 20 or more workers. Cardiac events, including sudden cardiac arrest, are among the leading causes of death in Canadian workplaces—particularly in the construction sector.
“Our government is protecting Ontario workers that are building our province by requiring AEDs on construction sites,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, who is also the MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South. “Our skilled workers are at the centre of our government’s plan to build highways, energy and key infrastructure. Ensuring lifesaving equipment is where it’s needed to keep them safe is one more way we’re creating safer workplaces.”
AEDs are portable electronic devices that restore normal heart rhythm in cases of cardiac arrest. When used in the first few minutes alongside CPR, AEDs can increase the chance of survival by more than 50 per cent, according to health experts.
To help businesses absorb the cost, the government plans to introduce a reimbursement program through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), allowing construction firms to claim expenses related to the purchase of AEDs.
The measure builds on a suite of worker safety reforms introduced in recent years under the Working for Workers legislative packages. That includes a 2022 mandate requiring naloxone kits—used to reverse opioid overdoses—at high-risk job sites.
“Cardiac arrest can strike anywhere, and fast access to an AED can mean the difference between life and death,” Piccini said. “This change will ensure Ontario leads the way in workplace health and safety.”
The AED requirement is part of a broader package of reforms the province says will crack down on bad actors, enhance worker protections, and strengthen Ontario’s economy and labour force.
“This is all part of our plan to protect Ontario and help make it the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Piccini.
The full details of the legislation are expected to be announced in the coming days. If passed, the AED mandate would make Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement such a regulation for construction sites.
