'Ensuring lifesaving equipment is where it's needed to keep [workers] safe is one more way we're creating safer workplaces'
Ontario will soon require automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at construction sites—part of a new provincial push to enhance worker safety.
“Our government is protecting Ontario workers that are building our province by requiring AEDs on construction sites,” says David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development. “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.”
The proposed amendments would mandate AEDs at construction projects expected to last three months or more and employ at least 20 workers.
AEDs are portable electronic devices used to restart a person's heart after it has stopped beating. When used in conjunction with CPR during the first few minutes following a cardiac arrest, AEDs can increase survival rates by more than 50 per cent, according to the province.
Cardiac events among leading cause of workplace fatalities
Cardiac events—including sudden cardiac arrest—are among the leading causes of workplace fatalities, and construction workers face higher risk. More than 15 per cent of inspection reports involving “cardiac” or “heart attack” incidents were related to the construction sector, based on Ministry of Labour data cited by the provincial government..
In mid-2023, the Ontario government required that naloxone kits be present at certain workplaces to address the issue of workers’ death by opioid overdose.
During consultations held as part of Working for Workers Five, construction industry stakeholders recommended AEDs as essential devices to have on site and highlighted the need for financial support to help small businesses with the purchase of these devices, notes the provincial government.
In April 2025, the cost to purchase one AED is on average $2,300. Ontario has proposed a program through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) that would reimburse constructors for the purchase of an AED. This program would be paid from the WSIB insurance fund, says the government.
Response to AED requirement in Ontario
Numerous industry stakeholders have applauded the proposed legislation.
“We are encouraged by the government’s proposal to improve safety on construction sites. Having [AEDs] readily available can mean the difference between life and death,” says Jon Lane, CEO of the AED Foundation of Ontario. “This is a vital step toward protecting Ontario’s construction workers. Every second counts in a cardiac emergency, and this proposal is a meaningful step in making job sites safer across the province.”
Andrew Pariser, vice-president at the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), notes that the legislation would “save lives.”
“By requiring AEDs on construction sites, Premier Ford and Minister Piccini are ensuring construction workers have access to life-saving AEDs if a cardiac event occurs. Ontario will be the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce this legislation, and RESCON fully supports and applauds the Minister’s leadership and dedication to health and safety.”
Wayne Peterson, executive director of the Construction Employers Coordinating Council of Ontario, adds:
“Across the ICI construction sector, our employers and contractors are committed to the health and safety of our valued trade union members. We want to thank the Ford government and Minister Piccini for their leadership and support, and congratulate them for implementing this important initiative that will inevitably make our construction sites safer and save lives. We look forward to working with the WSIB as our financial partner, as we share their commitment to helping provide this important tool to our membership.”
Long working hours are linked to ischemic heart disease, according to a previous report. And shift workers are among the most susceptible to heart attacks because of their circadian misalignment or “social jetlag,” according to experts.
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