About ESA

Ontario Electrical Safety Awards 2026: Nomination Window is Now Open

Do You Know a Leader in Electrical Safety?

It takes just one individual or organization to make a difference.

ESA is excited to announce that we are officially accepting nominations for the 17^th Annual Ontario Electrical Safety Awards!

At ESA, we know we can’t fulfill our vision of an Ontario where people can live, work and play safe from electrical harm on our own. Instead, we rely on and appreciate the contributions of our safety partners and stakeholders.

It takes just one individual or organization to make a difference. Whether accomplished through strong leadership, innovative electrical safety initiatives or programs that accelerate the health and wellness of the industry, it is important to celebrate those who are committed to improving the safety landscape in Ontario. 

In fact, those contributions are more important now than ever before as Ontario undergoes a significant energy transformation.

On this page:

• The Award Categories
• Reasons for Entering the Awards
• Eligibility Requirements
• How to Submit a Nomination Form
• Entry Deadline
• Previous Winners: The 2025 Award Recipients
• Winner Spotlight: Public Safety Officer’s Special Recognition Award for 2025
• Mark Your Calendars: The 2026 Ontario Electrical Safety Awards Reception

The Award Categories

The 2026 Ontario Electrical Safety Awards will recognize exceptional contributions to safety in the areas that present the greatest harm to Ontarians:

Powerline Safety

Entrants in this category should highlight initiative(s) focused on the prevention of electrical injuries and fatalities due to powerline contacts.

Worker Safety

Entrants in this category should highlight initiative(s) focused on the prevention of serious electrical injuries and electrocutions on the job.

Consumer and Home Safety

Entrants in this category should highlight initiative(s) focused on the prevention of electrical injuries and fatalities at home and in the community.

Reasons for Entering the Awards

Nominating an individual or organization for their commitment to improving safety builds a culture of safety and encourages others to contribute to the safety landscape.

Winning an Ontario Electrical Safety Award also gives individuals and organizations an opportunity to:

Gain industry and government recognition as a leader in electrical safety in the province.

Empower employees and staff to champion a company’s safety values and culture.

Demonstrate proven safety leadership to current and prospective customers.

Increase brand awareness as a safety leader through the use of a customized winner e-logo.

Receive recognition in the Ontario Electrical Safety Awards media release and promotional materials.

Promote your status as an award winner in next year’s Ontario Electrical Safety Awards nomination package.

Celebrate your accomplishment with an engraved crystal award.

Eligibility Requirements

Any individual or organization that has worked to advance electrical safety in Ontario in one of the three award categories (Powerline Safety, Worker Safety, and Consumer and Home Safety) can be nominated for an Ontario Electrical Safety Award.

• An organization can include businesses, associations or government entities.
• Nominated individuals and/organizations do not have to be residents of Ontario. However, their efforts must have provided material and significant electrical safety benefits in the province.
• Joint nominations for two or more individuals or organizations working in partnership on a common initiative are eligible.

For a complete description of Eligibility and Selection criteria for the awards, please review the Nomination Form.

Previous Winners: The 2025 Award Recipients

The 2025 Ontario Electrical Safety Award recipients reflected a proactive, people-first approach to safety — from schools and research labs to frontline construction workers.

Powerline Safety: Chris Connelly and Aecon Utilities

Recognized for his transformative impact on safety practices at Aecon Utilities, Chris Connelly led the development of a comprehensive, competency-based training and qualification program for powerline technicians. Additionally, Chris overhauled Job Hazard Assessments to ensure they reflected real field conditions and evolving client standards. Chris’s efforts resulted in a measurable increase in worker confidence and field preparedness. Notably, there was a 40% reduction in near-miss safety incidents and zero recordable injuries tied to tasks covered by revised assessments.

Worker Safety: Oneida Energy Storage

Honoured for its exceptional worksite safety performance in delivering Canada’s largest operational energy storage facility. Five project partners — Northland Power, Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, Aecon, NRStor and Mississaugas of the Credit Business Corporation — collaborated to build a safety culture that put workers first, supported by a joint monitoring framework, extensive workforce training and over 550 safety inspections. At the height of construction, hundreds of people were working on the project, logging nearly 300,000 hours without a single lost-time injury.

Consumer and Home Safety: London Hydro

London Hydro was spotlighted for building lifelong safety habits for young Ontarians through their School Electricity Safety program. Running for over 30 years, the program delivers interactive, age-appropriate learning for students in grades 3 to 8 across the London region. In the past year alone, the program reached over 6,235 students across 33 schools. By constantly evolving the subject-matter to reflect the safety needs of today’s youth, the program serves as a model for long-term investment in community education.

Winner Spotlight: Dr. Behdin Nowrouzi Kia and ReSTORE Lab at the University of Toronto

Dr. Behdin Nowrouzi Kia and ReSTORE Lab have become leading voices in reimagining what safety means for Ontario’s electricians — treating physical and mental well-being as essential to the health and sustainability of the sector. Dr. Behdin has led province-wide research to identify the stressors electricians face, including chronic physical strain and the effects of burnout, stigma and isolation. Through evidence-based insights, education and practical toolkits, their work is helping shift the industry toward a more psychologically safe, inclusive and supportive environment.