Ontario passed legislation requiring automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at major construction project sites for the first time. This action follows a larger legislative effort to improve provisions for workplace safety, introduced earlier this month. Labour Minister David Piccini released this proposal following discussions between government and industry stakeholders. Its goal is to increase the level of emergency preparedness across the construction industry.
The move comes after a sixth previous omnibus labour bill introduced by the government of Premier Doug Ford. Construction sites are beginning to install AEDs after advocacy by industry reps on the Construction Industry Safety Coalition. This decision makes it crystal clear that ready access to life-saving equipment in hazardous workplaces is of paramount importance.
Andrew Pariser, vice-president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), welcomed this proposal with enthusiastic support. His announcement said the move will certainly save lives. One issue raised, and with good reason given the current rash of medical crises on construction sites, was the importance of rapid response treatments. She said increasing the availability of AEDs would significantly increase survival rates for those suffering from cardiac arrest. As a result, their implementation represents an important step forward in workplace safety standards.
Minister Piccini underscored that the proposal will work alongside existing legislative frameworks. Through the construction and manufacturing markets, to restaurants and hospitals, this initiative will strengthen worker safety and health. This was an intentional choice. This approach is meant to address specific, immediate health impacts directly. This helps advance Ontario’s commitment to zero, a safer working environment.
The announcement was part of an update released on May 23, 2025, at 12:11 pm, following an initial post published earlier that same day at 11:45 am. As the province moves forward with these plans, further details regarding the specific requirements for construction sites and timelines for implementation are expected to emerge.
