April is Dig Safe Month, and Ontario One Call is reminding everyone to ‘Click Before You Dig’ for their safety and awareness. By law, all Ontarians must first request the location of underground infrastructure for any dig project before they break ground (i.e. Click Before You Dig), whether it is a new flower bed, a fence, or a pool installation.
The first step to digging safely is contacting Ontario One Call for a locate. In doing so, homeowners (or the contractors they hire) will learn what cables and lines, such as gas and electrical, are buried on the property before they start digging. Having this information is critical before any groundbreaking takes place and it can save lives.
To request a locate, homeowners must contact Ontario One Call at least 5 business days before digging. When a locate is requested, Ontario One Call will notify the buried infrastructure owners, who will send out representatives to provide locates for the property.
If a homeowner or contractor chooses not to request locates before breaking ground, they could be held liable for any damages they cause while digging and could face additional administrative penalties.
Based on recent research conducted by Ontario One Call, only one out of three homeowners is aware of Ontario One Call and less than half of those that are aware know that they need to request locates for every dig project.
In addition, a 2023 report published by the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) reveals that there were 4,222 reported damages last year. Of all damages in Ontario, 39% occurred because someone didn’t contact Ontario One Call before they dug.
Ontario One Call’s President and CEO Jim Keech says, “As we kick-off Dig Safe Month, at Ontario One Call we reaffirm our commitment to public safety. Safety is not just our mission, but a responsibility we share with the public and industry to protect lives and infrastructure. Requesting locates before digging is the very first step to ensure your family and community are safe, and essential services to communities continue uninterrupted. Click Before You Dig is an act of care and it’s also the law.”
The Honourable Todd McCarthy, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery, says, “With spring on the horizon, plans for gardens, walkways, and planting trees at home, along with more intensive commercial projects will begin for many Ontarians. The Ontario government has done extensive work over the past few years to make the locates process more efficient and easier to access. You can never be sure where critical infrastructure is buried, so take a few minutes, ensure you click before you dig, and help avoid costly and dangerous accidents. Safety is of the utmost importance, and we all have a part to play in safeguarding our loved ones and communities.”
Ontario One Call offers an easy-to-use, free service designed to keep homeowners, their families, and neighbours safe.
Call 1-800-400-2255 or click OntarioOneCall.ca.