Electrical Safety Authority

There’s a misconception that safety and speed can sometimes pull in opposite directions. But when safety is part of the plan from day one, it creates the conditions for faster, more reliable progress. I touched on this in the Winter edition of The Distributor — a quarterly magazine put out by the Electricity Distributors Association for Ontario’s utility sector. The article explores safety as the throughline of the energy transformation underway in the province, guiding how we adopt new grid technologies, respond to severe weather and expand the system responsibly. None of this happens in isolation. The Electrical Safety Authority's role depends on strong collaboration across Ontario’s electrical ecosystem, with utilities and many critical safety partners working together to protect workers and the public, support system reliability and unlock innovation. Thank you to the EDA for the opportunity to contribute to this important conversation. 🔗Keeping Safety at the Centre of Ontario’s Energy Future: https://lnkd.in/gP8YmxT6

Thinking Differently. We built an actual video game. Made it cheeky. And hammered home our message: Avoid a permanent game over. Stay 3 metres away from overhead powerlines. This was one of the standout tactics in our 2025 Electrical Safety Authority Powerline Safety campaign — designed to reach men aged 18-39, one of the hardest audiences to engage — and the most likely to participate in risky activities. Based on occupation and recreational pursuits, the data told us they’re most at risk for powerline contact, and many also happen to be gamers. So instead of lecturing, we met them where they play, blending humour, data and creativity — with a hint of video game nostalgia — to make our safety messages stick. And it’s working. 👷The campaign reached over 4M Ontarian males aged 18-39 and 3.8M workers in the construction industry. 📈 There was an average 7pt improvement in knowing safe distances immediately after viewing the campaign. 📈Recognition of ESA among the trades as the organization responsible for electricity safety in Ontario surged to its highest level since we began tracking this metric nearly 20 years ago. 🎮Learn more about the campaign: ESAsafe.com/GameOver #ElectricalSafety #PublicSafety #PowerlineSafety

Some of the most serious electrical incidents involve people who never thought electricity was part of their job. That’s why collaboration across sectors — from utilities to construction — is so important. When we connect, share lessons and keep the conversation going, we save lives. 👉In the article below, I share key takeaways and reflections from my recent presentation at the Annual General Meeting of the League of Champions.

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. It is my belief that corporate strategy succeeds when there is a strong culture that supports it. Ontario’s energy landscape is evolving rapidly. With electricity demand expected to grow 75% by 2050, the transition ahead is complex and it won’t succeed unless it’s done safely. That’s where the Electrical Safety Authority comes in. We’ve made culture central to how we operate. At ESA, our cornerstone is safety, our staff are adaptable, people-focused, accountable, inclusive, courageous and act with integrity. Those attributes aren’t just aspirational — they’re embedded into how we hire, set goals, treat customers and deliver on our safety mandate to the electricity sector and to the public. Because without a strong culture, strategy is just words on a page. I was recently a guest on the CEO Global Network Podcast. Host John Wilson and I talk about the importance of culture as well as how ESA is using data to reduce the risk of electrical harm across the province and balancing innovation with risk. 🎧Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gbuBzESa #JohnWilson #CEOGlobalNetworkPodcast #electricity #safety #culture

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