Who Is AED.ca?

At AED.ca, we spend a lot of time thinking about the company we want to build.

But we're equally proud of the company we have chosen not to become.

As businesses grow, there is always pressure to add more products, enter more categories and find new ways to generate revenue. It would be easy for AED.ca to become another general safety supplier selling hundreds or thousands of unrelated products.

We have chosen a different path.

We want to be AED experts.

Our mission has remained simple: help save lives by making Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) more accessible to Canadians — and help ensure those AEDs are Rescue Ready when someone needs them.

That focus influences what we sell, what we recommend and, increasingly, how we help organizations maintain their AEDs after the purchase.

Why Doesn't AED.ca Sell Every Safety Product?

Because we believe specialization matters.

An AED isn't simply another piece of workplace equipment. It is a life-saving medical device that may sit unused for years and then suddenly be needed during the most critical few minutes of someone's life.

We could add hundreds of unrelated workplace safety products to our catalogue simply because there is money to be made selling them.

We've resisted that temptation.

Instead, we have chosen to remain focused on AED sales in Canada, AED inspections, AED maintenance, replacement AED pads and batteries, AED program management and AED readiness.

When you contact AED.ca, we want you to be dealing with people who understand AEDs — not a company that happens to have defibrillators buried among thousands of unrelated products.

Learn more about our AED Solutions

We Don't Want to Sell Every AED, Either

Our focus also means we don't believe every AED on the market is necessarily the right AED for every customer.

There can be a temptation in retail to carry everything: if someone wants it, sell it.

That's not how we want AED.ca to operate.

We carefully consider the AEDs we recommend. If we don't believe a particular device offers the reliability, usability, features or long-term support that our customers deserve, we don't want to recommend it simply to make a sale.

Our job is not just to help you buy an AED in Canada.

Our job is to help you determine which AED is right for your workplace, business, school, church, community organization or public facility.

Different environments can have different needs. That's why our recommended options include proven models such as the ZOLL AED 3, ZOLL AED Plus and LIFEPAK CR2.

Learn more about our AED Solutions

The goal isn't to sell you the most products.

The goal is to help you make the right decision.

Buying an AED Is Only the Beginning

Our experience has also taught us something important:

Putting an AED on the wall does not automatically mean you have a Rescue Ready AED program.

AED electrode pads have expiration dates. Batteries eventually require replacement. Devices need to be checked. Readiness indicators need to be monitored. Supplies can be removed or misplaced. Records need to be maintained, and replacement components need to be installed correctly.

An AED can be physically present and still not be ready for an emergency.

Some studies and industry estimates have raised serious concerns about the percentage of deployed AEDs that may not be fully operational or Rescue Ready when needed. Exact estimates vary considerably depending on the study, location and definition of readiness, so rather than focus on one headline percentage, we focus on the underlying problem:

Too many AED readiness problems are preventable.

We Saw This First-Hand During a Recent AED Maintenance Visit

Recently, our team completed an AED maintenance visit for a company.

At first glance, they appeared to be doing things properly.

They knew their AED required replacement pads and batteries.

They had purchased the replacement parts.

The new pads and batteries were physically there.

There was just one problem:

They had not been installed correctly.

As a result, the AED was not Rescue Ready.

Think about that for a moment.

The company had spent the money. Someone had ordered the correct maintenance supplies. The organization believed it had taken care of its AED.

But if someone had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and that AED had been needed, the organization could have discovered at the worst possible moment that its life-saving equipment wasn't ready to perform as expected.

That experience perfectly illustrates why AED maintenance involves much more than ordering replacement pads and batteries.

You need to know what you're looking at.

You need to know how the specific AED operates.

You need to know how its pads and battery are installed.

And you need to verify that the AED returns to its proper Rescue Ready status afterward.

An AED Is Not Something You Want to "Hope" Is Working

When someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest, there is no time to start troubleshooting an AED.

You don't want to discover:

the AED battery is depleted;
the electrode pads have expired;
replacement pads weren't connected properly;
a replacement battery wasn't installed correctly;
required accessories are missing;
the AED is displaying a warning indicator; or
nobody knows when the device was last inspected.

That's why regular AED inspections and preventative AED maintenance are so important.

Read our guide to AED maintenance in Canada.

Our Newest Offering Is the Natural Extension of Our Mission

The more AED programs we've worked with, the clearer the next step became.

It wasn't another unrelated product category.

It was helping organizations take better care of the AEDs they already own.

That's why we developed the AED.ca Full-Service AED Maintenance Plan.

Our goal is ambitious but simple:

Help reduce the number of AEDs in Canada that are not Rescue Ready.

The AED.ca Full-Service AED Maintenance Plan is designed to remove much of the uncertainty and administrative burden associated with maintaining an AED.

Depending on the program, our full-service approach includes:

Annual on-site AED inspection and readiness checks
AED pad replacement
AED battery replacement as required
AED inspection certification
Digital maintenance records
Expiry-date tracking
AED registry support
Compliance guidance
Loaner AED coverage during applicable servicing or downtime
Priority access to AED specialists

Instead of simply selling you an AED and hoping someone remembers to look after it for the next decade, we want to help manage the entire life cycle of your AED.

Why Professional AED Maintenance Matters

Many AEDs perform automatic self-tests, but that doesn't eliminate the need for human oversight and regular inspection.

A self-test cannot necessarily tell your organization that someone removed an accessory from the AED cabinet, that responsibilities changed when an employee left, that maintenance documentation wasn't completed, or that replacement supplies sitting beside the AED were never properly installed.

Professional AED maintenance adds another layer of oversight.

For Canadian organizations managing multiple AEDs or multiple locations, it can also create consistency. Instead of depending on different employees at different sites to remember what needs to be done, your organization can establish a centralized AED maintenance and inspection program.

What Does "Rescue Ready" Mean for an AED?

A Rescue Ready AED is more than an AED hanging on the wall.

It means your organization has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the device is accessible, its required components are installed and within their service life, its status indicator shows normal operation, appropriate supplies are present, and ongoing checks and maintenance are being performed.

Ultimately, the question every AED owner should be able to answer is:

If someone collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest right now, are we confident our AED is ready to use?

If you don't know the answer, we can help you find out.

AED.ca Is Focused on AEDs — Period

We believe there is value in knowing exactly what your company stands for.

AED.ca isn't trying to become everything to everyone.

We're focused on Automated External Defibrillators in Canada.

We help organizations:

choose the right AED;
purchase an AED;
replace aging AEDs;
source AED pads and batteries;
inspect AEDs;
manage AED maintenance;
document AED readiness;
manage multiple AED locations; and
keep AEDs Rescue Ready.

That's our lane.

And we're proud to stay in it.

Looking for an AED Company in Canada?

Whether you're purchasing your organization's first AED, replacing an older defibrillator, managing AEDs across multiple Canadian locations or wondering whether your existing AED is properly maintained, talk to an AED specialist before making your next decision.

Shop AEDs in Canada or learn about the AED.ca Full-Service AED Maintenance Plan.

Our goal isn't simply to sell you an AED.

Our goal is to help make sure the right AED is there, properly maintained and Rescue Ready when a life depends on it.

Frequently Asked Questions About AEDs and AED Maintenance

Do AEDs need regular maintenance?

Yes. AEDs require ongoing attention to ensure they remain ready for use. This includes checking the device's readiness indicator, monitoring electrode pad and battery status, replacing components when required and following the manufacturer's maintenance instructions.

How often should an AED be inspected?

Inspection requirements and recommendations can vary by AED model, manufacturer, workplace and jurisdiction. Organizations should follow the manufacturer's instructions and any applicable provincial requirements. AED.ca can help Canadian organizations establish an appropriate inspection and maintenance program.

What happens if AED pads expire?

AED electrode pads contain conductive adhesive materials that can deteriorate over time. Pads should be replaced according to the manufacturer's expiration date and instructions so the AED remains properly equipped for an emergency.

Can an AED battery expire or become depleted?

Yes. AED batteries have finite service lives. Battery status should be monitored and batteries replaced according to the AED manufacturer's specifications and device indicators.

Can I replace AED pads and batteries myself?

For many AED models, replacement pads and batteries are designed to be user-replaceable. However, they still need to be the correct components and installed correctly. After replacement, the AED's status should be checked to verify that the device is Rescue Ready.

Does AED.ca provide AED maintenance across Canada?

AED.ca provides AED sales, maintenance and program support for Canadian organizations. Our Full-Service AED Maintenance Plan is designed for organizations ranging from a single AED at one location to larger programs with AEDs distributed across multiple sites.

About AED.ca

AED.ca is a Canadian-owned company specializing in Automated External Defibrillators, AED sales, AED inspections, replacement pads and batteries, Full-Service AED Maintenance and AED program management. We help Canadian businesses, schools, municipalities, property managers, churches, healthcare facilities and other organizations choose appropriate AED equipment and keep it Rescue Ready.

Our focus is simple: help make life-saving AEDs more accessible and help ensure they work when they're needed.

About Martin Andrews

Martin Andrews is President of AED.ca. He works with organizations across Canada to help them select, maintain and manage AED equipment. His approach is focused on long-term AED readiness — helping organizations understand that purchasing an AED is the beginning of an effective AED program, not the end.