Québec Urged to Mandate Lifesaving Defibrillators Amidst Shortfall

MONTREAL, QC – January 26, 2026 – As Heart Month begins, a leading public health organization is issuing an urgent call to action, declaring that when it comes to surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, luck is not enough. The Jacques-de Champlain Foundation is launching a major awareness campaign aimed at transforming ordinary citizens into first responders while simultaneously pushing for sweeping legislative change to address a critical shortfall in lifesaving equipment across the province.

At the heart of the campaign is a stark reality: someone in Canada suffers a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every nine minutes. Survival often hinges on the actions taken in the first few moments. The Foundation argues that while community engagement is growing, Québec's reliance on voluntary measures has left it dangerously under-equipped, prompting a renewed push for laws mandating public access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

The Race Against Time: A 10% Chance Lost Every Minute

When a person’s heart suddenly stops beating, the clock becomes the enemy. For every minute that passes without intervention, the chances of survival plummet by as much as 10%. Brain damage can begin in under five minutes. While emergency medical services are vital, the window for effective intervention is often too short for them to be the first and only line of defense. This is where the "chain of survival"—a sequence of actions initiated by bystanders—becomes paramount.

"Every year, too many lives are lost because help does not arrive in time or because bystanders do not know what to do," said Dr. François de Champlain, an emergency physician and President of the Foundation. "Heart Month is an opportunity to remind everyone that we all have a role to play in the chain of survival."

This campaign, he emphasized, is designed to underscore that survival is not a matter of chance but a direct result of rapid intervention and, crucially, access to an AED. Research from health bodies like the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada confirms that the immediate use of an AED by a bystander can triple a person's chances of survival. To bring this urgent message to life, the Foundation has produced a powerful video, "When the Heart Stops, the Fight Begins." Created with the help of volunteer first responders from the City of Côte Saint-Luc, the video immerses viewers in the chaotic reality of a cardiac arrest, illustrating how each second and every link in the survival chain—from calling 911 to performing CPR and using an AED—is indispensable.

Bridging the Gap with Technology and Community Action

While advocating for long-term policy change, the Jacques-de Champlain Foundation is actively empowering Québecers to act now. A cornerstone of this effort is the AED-Québec mobile app, a free tool that maps the locations of over 11,000 registered defibrillators across the province. The app turns any smartphone into a potential lifesaver, allowing a user to instantly locate the nearest AED in an emergency, saving precious minutes that can mean the difference between life and death.

The public’s appetite to be part of the solution is undeniable. The Foundation's Access AED program, a government-supported initiative launched last spring to distribute defibrillators, was met with overwhelming demand. Over 1,800 requests poured in from community organizations, businesses, and public spaces eager to be better prepared.

"The success of this first year has far exceeded our expectations," said Eddy Afram, the Program Lead for Access AED. "Organizations want to be part of the solution, to join the chain of survival, and to be able to act rather than remain bystanders in emergency situations. This level of civic mobilization is remarkable."

To date, the program has allocated 450 new AEDs, with a goal of distributing 900 by the end of 2026. According to Dr. de Champlain, this success demonstrates a powerful formula. "The results of Access AED demonstrate that by combining awareness, technological tools, and civic engagement, we can truly make a difference," he stated. A second phase of the popular program is set to launch at the end of February.

A Legislative Lifeline: The Call for Mandatory AEDs

Despite these successful initiatives, the Foundation warns that Québec faces a monumental public safety gap. The 11,000 AEDs currently registered through voluntary efforts are just a fraction of what is needed. According to an expert report commissioned by the organization, an estimated 40,000 AEDs are required to provide adequate coverage for the province's population and geography. This 29,000-unit shortfall means that in many communities, the nearest AED is simply too far away to be retrieved in time.

This is why the Foundation is intensifying its call for legislation to guarantee universal public access to defibrillators. Such laws would move Québec from a patchwork system reliant on goodwill to a structured, comprehensive network. This approach would bring the province in line with other jurisdictions in Canada and abroad. Provinces like Ontario and Manitoba have already passed acts mandating AEDs in designated public spaces and requiring their inclusion in a public registry, recognizing that voluntary measures alone are insufficient.

Proposed legislation would likely require AEDs in high-traffic public locations such as sports arenas, schools, shopping centers, and government buildings. Critically, it would also formalize a provincial registry, ideally integrated with 911 dispatch systems, so that emergency operators can direct callers to the nearest device. Proponents argue that this policy shift is the only way to ensure equitable access to this life-saving technology for all citizens, regardless of where a cardiac arrest occurs.

The Path Forward: Balancing Cost, Responsibility, and Lives

Implementing mandatory AED legislation is a complex undertaking with significant implications for both the public and private sectors. While emergency services and public health advocates overwhelmingly support such measures, potential hurdles remain. Municipalities and business owners would face new costs for purchasing, installing, and maintaining the devices, as well as for training staff. Questions of liability, though often addressed by Good Samaritan laws that protect those who offer aid, would also need to be clearly defined to encourage widespread compliance and use.

Supporters of the legislation argue that these costs are a necessary investment in public safety infrastructure, much like fire extinguishers or smoke detectors. They point to the proven return on investment: saved lives and reduced long-term healthcare costs associated with brain injury from delayed resuscitation. The path forward will require collaboration between government bodies, which would need to provide clear guidelines and potentially financial incentives, and the community organizations that would be tasked with implementation.

The Jacques-de-Champlain Foundation's Heart Month campaign serves as both a practical guide for immediate action and a catalyst for this crucial policy debate. It highlights that while citizens can download an app and learn CPR today, the ultimate goal is to build a system where survival is not an exception but an expectation. For the thousands of families affected by cardiac arrest each year, this shift from chance to certainty cannot come soon enough.