Ontario Electrical Safety Awards: The Nominations Are In!
The nomination window for the 2026 Ontario Electrical Safety Awards has now ended.
We are grateful for all the thoughtful submissions recognizing exceptional safety leaders in the province.
The Ontario Electrical Safety Awards Advisory Committee will now review all nomination materials.
On this page:
- Mark Your Calendars: The 2026 Ontario Electrical Safety Awards Reception
- About the Awards
- Meet Last Year’s Winners
- Winner Spotlight: Public Safety Officer’s Special Recognition Award for 2025
About the Awards
Since 2010, ESA has been recognizing leadership and achievements in electrical safety in the province. The awards recognize exceptional contributions to safety in the areas that present the greatest harm to Ontarians:
Powerline Safety
Worker Safety
Consumer and Home Safety
At ESA, we know we cannot realize our vision of an Ontario where people can live, work and play safe from electrical harm on our own. We rely on and celebrate the contributions of our many safety partners and stakeholders.
We also know that it takes just one individual or organization to make a difference.
Meet Last Year’s Winners
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.