Tackling Unsafe Electrical Products Sold Online: Key Outcomes from the National Workshop Agreement
The rapid growth of e-commerce has transformed how Canadians purchase electrical products, but it has also introduced new safety risks. EFC members have been raising concerns for several years about the increasing availability of unsafe and unapproved electrical products sold online, often without clear evidence of certification or compliance with Canadian requirements.
To address this growing issue, EFC staff participated in a National Workshop Agreement (NWA) led by CSA Group, in collaboration with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and the Canadian Advisory Council on Electrical Safety (CACES). The resulting report, Online Sales of Unapproved Consumer Electrical Products in Canada (January 2026), captures what was heard from regulators, retailers, online marketplaces, and industry stakeholders across the country.
Why This Matters
Under provincial and territorial electrical safety legislation, electrical products sold in Canada must meet national safety standards and display a recognized Canadian certification mark on the product itself. While this system has worked well in traditional brick-and-mortar retail, the report confirms that online marketplaces present a significant gap. Certification information is often missing or unclear in online listings, making it difficult for consumers to determine whether a product is approved—and potentially exposing homes and businesses to serious safety risks.
Key Findings from the Workshops
The workshop reinforced several important themes that align closely with EFC member concerns:
- Consumer awareness is critical. Many consumers assume that products sold on major online platforms are safe, even when certification marks are missing.
- No single organization can solve the problem alone. Preventing the sale of unapproved electrical products requires coordinated action across regulators, manufacturers, retailers, certification bodies, online marketplaces, and consumers.
- Online marketplaces must play a stronger role. Participants agreed that platforms should provide verifiable proof of certification on applicable product listings—such as images of certification marks or links to certification body listings.
- Canada needs a more consistent national approach. A clearer, unified description of federal, provincial, and territorial requirements would help reduce confusion for manufacturers, retailers, and online sellers.
EFC’s Ongoing Leadership on Electrical Safety
EFC has been actively engaged on this issue for years. In 2021, EFC partnered with provincial regulators, certification agencies, SCC, and other safety partners to launch an industry web portal designed to educate consumers and electrical customers about buying electrical products online. The portal helps answer key questions, including:
- What to look for when purchasing electrical products online (safety checklist)
- Which electrical products require certification
- What certification marks are used for electrical products in Canada
- What those certification marks look like
- How to report unmarked or uncertified electrical products
This work directly supports the report’s findings that informed consumers are a critical line of defence against unsafe products entering the Canadian market.
Before You Add to Cart…
EFC continues to encourage consumers, contractors, and electrical buyers to pause before purchasing electrical products online: Before you add to cart—check for the certification mark. Learn more
By working together across industry, regulators, and online platforms, we can help ensure that the convenience of e-commerce does not come at the expense of electrical safety in Canada.