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An incident in downtown Vancouver over the weekend is raising questions around access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), a potentially life-saving device that can restart the heart following sudden cardiac arrest.

Early Sunday morning a group of friends reportedly came across an unconscious man in a downtown parking lot.

They called a 911 dispatcher who said an ambulance was on the way and told one of them to go to the nearby Edgewater Casino in the Plaza of Nations and grab their AED.

“With each minute that passes without defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by seven to 10 per cent,” Shelley Parker of the Heart and Stroke Foundation said. “Getting CPR happening right away, using that AED, is critical.”

First, a casino doorman refused to hand over the device. A manager also refused, saying the victim wasn’t on casino property.

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“In British Columbia you’re not required to respond to an emergency,” Parker said. “If you lived in Quebec, for example, you are required to respond to somebody in a medical emergency.”

“We would encourage all businesses and venues that have an AED to register their device.”

WATCH: Shelley Parker of the Heart and Stroke Foundation talks about the rules and regulations around access to automatic defibrillator equipment.

6:11 Rules and regulations around AEDs in British Columbia Rules and regulations around AEDs in British Columbia

Edgewater Casino is looking into the report but said refusing use of their AED is totally out of character. The casino says it routinely lends their device in case of emergency whether it is taking place on their property or not.

Luckily, the ambulance arrived within minutes to transport the victim to hospital, where he is currently in stable condition.

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– With files from Ted Chernecki