Businesses can now receive up to $2,500 from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) when they purchase an automated external defibrillator (AED) for their qualifying construction projects.

The WSIB’s new AED rebate program makes it easier for construction companies to put life-saving equipment within easy reach for their crews across the province, helping them respond to cardiac emergencies quickly and confidently.

“The only hard part of this deal is pronouncing defibrillator,” says Jeff Lang, WSIB President and CEO. “It couldn’t be easier for construction companies to make their sites safer by getting an AED and applying for the rebate.”

The program is designed to improve the chances of people surviving a cardiac event and help make Ontario one of the safest places to work.

AEDs are electronic devices used to restore normal rhythm to a person's heart if they are in cardiac arrest. When used together with CPR in the first few minutes after a cardiac arrest, AEDs can improve cardiac arrest survival rates by more than 50 percent.

“Seconds matter in a cardiac emergency and having a defibrillator on a construction site can save a life,” said Labour Minister David Piccini. “This program puts proven, lifesaving safety tools directly on job sites and is another practical step we are taking to keep construction workers safe.”

The rebate program comes after the Ontario government passed regulations to mandate AEDs on construction projects that are expected to last longer than three months and have 20 or more workers on site.

AEDs purchased between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2027, are eligible for rebates through the program.

More information, including detailed eligibility criteria and how to apply for a rebate, can be found at wsib.ca/aed.