Licence status by province and territory

Where heavy equipment operators need certification
British Columbia: Voluntary certificationOntario: Voluntary certificationQuebec: Certification requiredNova Scotia: Voluntary certificationPrince Edward Island: Voluntary certificationNewfoundland and Labrador: Voluntary certification

Boundaries simplified for display. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census boundary files.

  • Certification required
  • Voluntary certification
  • Not confirmed yet
  • British Columbia: Voluntary certification
  • Alberta: Not confirmed yet
  • Saskatchewan: Not confirmed yet
  • Manitoba: Not confirmed yet
  • Ontario: Voluntary certification
  • Quebec: Certification required
  • New Brunswick: Not confirmed yet
  • Nova Scotia: Voluntary certification
  • Prince Edward Island: Voluntary certification
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: Voluntary certification
  • Yukon: Not confirmed yet
  • Northwest Territories: Not confirmed yet
  • Nunavut: Not confirmed yet
Heavy equipment operator: licence status, regulator and guide in each jurisdiction
WhereLicence statusRegulatorGuide
British Columbia Voluntary certification SkilledTradesBC Read the guide for British Columbia
Alberta Not confirmed yet — —
Saskatchewan Not confirmed yet — —
Manitoba Not confirmed yet — —
Ontario Voluntary certification Skilled Trades Ontario Read the guide for Ontario
Quebec Certification required Commission de la construction du Québec Read the guide for Quebec
New Brunswick Not confirmed yet — —
Nova Scotia Voluntary certification Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency Read the guide for Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island Voluntary certification Apprenticeship Section Read the guide for Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland and Labrador Voluntary certification Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division Read the guide for Newfoundland and Labrador
Yukon Not confirmed yet — —
Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet — —
Nunavut Not confirmed yet — —

Compare the provinces

Listed one-time fees

No one-time fees are listed in the guides for British Columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Listed time

Time not stated for every step: British Columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Side by side

Routes, exams, language, listed fees and time, median wage and outlook in each province or territory with a full guide
WhereRoutesExamsLanguage Listed feesListed timeMedian wageOutlook
British Columbia Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada Certificate of Qualification Exam, Foundation Program Road Builder & Heavy Equipment Exam, Red Seal exam, Practical assessment — Not listed — $35.75 an hour Limited (2 of 5)
Quebec Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada Provincial qualification examination — Not listed — $36.00 an hour Limited (2 of 5)
Newfoundland and Labrador Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada certification exam, Red Seal exam — Not listed — $30.00 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)

Moving between provinces

Heavy equipment operator: moving a licence between provinces and territories
  • Direct transfer (10)
  • Extra steps (5)
  • Not stated (15)
All answers as a table
Heavy equipment operator: moving a licence between provinces and territories. Rows: licensed in; columns: moving to.
Licensed in / moving toBritish ColumbiaOntarioQuebecNova ScotiaPrince Edward IslandNewfoundland and Labrador
British ColumbiaSame placeNot stated, British Columbia to OntarioDirect transfer, British Columbia to QuebecNot stated, British Columbia to Nova ScotiaNot stated, British Columbia to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador
OntarioExtra steps, Ontario to British ColumbiaSame placeDirect transfer, Ontario to QuebecNot stated, Ontario to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Ontario to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Ontario to Newfoundland and Labrador
QuebecExtra steps, Quebec to British ColumbiaNot stated, Quebec to OntarioSame placeNot stated, Quebec to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Quebec to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Quebec to Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova ScotiaExtra steps, Nova Scotia to British ColumbiaNot stated, Nova Scotia to OntarioDirect transfer, Nova Scotia to QuebecSame placeNot stated, Nova Scotia to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward IslandExtra steps, Prince Edward Island to British ColumbiaNot stated, Prince Edward Island to OntarioDirect transfer, Prince Edward Island to QuebecNot stated, Prince Edward Island to Nova ScotiaSame placeDirect transfer, Prince Edward Island to Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and LabradorExtra steps, Newfoundland and Labrador to British ColumbiaNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to OntarioDirect transfer, Newfoundland and Labrador to QuebecNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to Prince Edward IslandSame place

Check one move in the licence transfer checker

Demand and pay

Median wage

Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by province and territoryCanada: $32.50 (low $24.00, high $45.00). British Columbia: $35.75 (low $27.00, high $46.00). Alberta: $34.30 (low $26.00, high $45.00). Saskatchewan: $30.00 (low $24.00, high $44.00). Manitoba: $28.92 (low $22.00, high $38.00). Ontario: $32.00 (low $23.63, high $47.70). Quebec: $36.00 (low $24.00, high $43.40). New Brunswick: $25.00 (low $20.00, high $34.50). Nova Scotia: $25.00 (low $18.00, high $35.50). Prince Edward Island: $24.00 (low $18.25, high $35.00). Newfoundland and Labrador: $30.00 (low $22.00, high $38.00). Yukon: $39.00 (low $32.65, high $42.00). Northwest Territories: $43.73 (low $26.80, high $64.01). Nunavut: $38.08 (low $21.87, high $51.49).$0$20$40$60$80Canada: $32.50 (low $24.00, high $45.00)Canada$32.50British Columbia: $35.75 (low $27.00, high $46.00)British Columbia$35.75Alberta: $34.30 (low $26.00, high $45.00)Alberta$34.30Saskatchewan: $30.00 (low $24.00, high $44.00)Saskatchewan$30.00Manitoba: $28.92 (low $22.00, high $38.00)Manitoba$28.92Ontario: $32.00 (low $23.63, high $47.70)Ontario$32.00Quebec: $36.00 (low $24.00, high $43.40)Quebec$36.00New Brunswick: $25.00 (low $20.00, high $34.50)New Brunswick$25.00Nova Scotia: $25.00 (low $18.00, high $35.50)Nova Scotia$25.00Prince Edward Island: $24.00 (low $18.25, high $35.00)Prince Edward Island$24.00Newfoundland and Labrador: $30.00 (low $22.00, high $38.00)Newfoundland and Labrador$30.00Yukon: $39.00 (low $32.65, high $42.00)Yukon$39.00Northwest Territories: $43.73 (low $26.80, high $64.01)Northwest Territories$43.73Nunavut: $38.08 (low $21.87, high $51.49)Nunavut$38.08
Bars show the median wage. Lines run from the low to the high wage, which are Job Bank’s 10th and 90th percentiles. Grey is all of Canada.
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by province and territory (table)
WhereLowMedianHigh
Canada$24.00$32.50$45.00
British Columbia$27.00$35.75$46.00
Alberta$26.00$34.30$45.00
Saskatchewan$24.00$30.00$44.00
Manitoba$22.00$28.92$38.00
Ontario$23.63$32.00$47.70
Quebec$24.00$36.00$43.40
New Brunswick$20.00$25.00$34.50
Nova Scotia$18.00$25.00$35.50
Prince Edward Island$18.25$24.00$35.00
Newfoundland and Labrador$22.00$30.00$38.00
Yukon$32.65$39.00$42.00
Northwest Territories$26.80$43.73$64.01
Nunavut$21.87$38.08$51.49

Job outlook

Job outlook for heavy equipment operators by province and territory, 1 to 5British Columbia: Limited (2 of 5). Alberta: Limited (2 of 5). Saskatchewan: Good (4 of 5). Manitoba: Limited (2 of 5). Ontario: Moderate (3 of 5). Quebec: Limited (2 of 5). New Brunswick: Moderate (3 of 5). Nova Scotia: Moderate (3 of 5). Prince Edward Island: Good (4 of 5). Newfoundland and Labrador: Moderate (3 of 5). Yukon: Moderate (3 of 5). Northwest Territories: Limited (2 of 5). Nunavut: Good (4 of 5).12345British Columbia: Limited (2 of 5)British ColumbiaLimitedAlberta: Limited (2 of 5)AlbertaLimitedSaskatchewan: Good (4 of 5)SaskatchewanGoodManitoba: Limited (2 of 5)ManitobaLimitedOntario: Moderate (3 of 5)OntarioModerateQuebec: Limited (2 of 5)QuebecLimitedNew Brunswick: Moderate (3 of 5)New BrunswickModerateNova Scotia: Moderate (3 of 5)Nova ScotiaModeratePrince Edward Island: Good (4 of 5)Prince Edward IslandGoodNewfoundland and Labrador: Moderate (3 of 5)Newfoundland and LabradorModerateYukon: Moderate (3 of 5)YukonModerateNorthwest Territories: Limited (2 of 5)Northwest TerritoriesLimitedNunavut: Good (4 of 5)NunavutGood
1 is a very limited outlook and 5 a very good one.
Job outlook for heavy equipment operators by province and territory, 1 to 5 (table)
WhereOutlook
British ColumbiaLimited (2 of 5)
AlbertaLimited (2 of 5)
SaskatchewanGood (4 of 5)
ManitobaLimited (2 of 5)
OntarioModerate (3 of 5)
QuebecLimited (2 of 5)
New BrunswickModerate (3 of 5)
Nova ScotiaModerate (3 of 5)
Prince Edward IslandGood (4 of 5)
Newfoundland and LabradorModerate (3 of 5)
YukonModerate (3 of 5)
Northwest TerritoriesLimited (2 of 5)
NunavutGood (4 of 5)

Wages in every province and territory

Tools and tables

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