Three RoutesGuides · 3 min read · updated 17 October 2026
Highest paying trades in Canada, with the first-year number too
Journeyperson pay is only half the story. Here is both halves, in four provinces.
Year one and year five, four provinces
"Highest paying trade" lists usually quote a journeyperson's wage and skip the part where you spend four years as an apprentice. Both numbers are below: what a first-year apprentice typically makes, then the typical journeyperson figure around year five. Journeyperson hourly rates come from Job Bank, WorkBC, ALIS and the CCQ wage tables, multiplied by 2,080 hours (1,600 in Quebec construction, which is seasonal).
| Trade | Ontario | British Columbia | Alberta | Quebec | Demand (Ontario) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamfitter / pipefitter | $46,000 → $92,000 | $46,000 → $92,000 | $46,000 → $92,000 | $46,000 → $92,000 | Steady |
| Powerline technician | $58,000 → $88,000 | $78,000 → $104,000 | $68,000 → $124,700 | $52,700 → $90,000 | High |
| HVAC / refrigeration mechanic | $42,000 → $72,000 | $50,398 → $83,200 | $44,700 → $89,400 | $48,600 → $81,100 | High |
| Industrial millwright | $45,000 → $69,000 | $52,520 → $87,360 | $47,400 → $79,000 | $49,900 → $70,700 | Steady |
| Electrician | $39,000 → $66,000 | $41,600 → $70,720 | $41,000 → $82,000 | $48,600 → $81,100 | Steady |
| Plumber | $39,000 → $63,000 | $47,840 → $66,560 | $40,600 → $81,100 | $48,600 → $81,100 | Steady |
| General carpenter | $43,000 → $62,000 | $47,840 → $66,560 | $44,600 → $74,400 | $56,100 → $80,100 | Steady |
| Truck and coach technician | $33,000 → $60,000 | $33,000 → $60,000 | $33,000 → $60,000 | $33,000 → $60,000 | Steady |
| Automotive service technician | $36,500 → $58,500 | $41,600 → $72,800 | $42,300 → $77,000 | $41,600 → $60,300 | Steady |
| Welder | $41,000 → $55,000 | $48,360 → $72,800 | $44,900 → $74,900 | $45,800 → $60,300 | Limited |
Start → year 5, before tax and overtime. Alberta apprentices begin at 50 to 60 percent of the journeyman rate; Quebec DEP graduates enter the CCQ ladder at period 2.
What moves the number
- Overtime and sector. Industrial and utility work (millwright, powerline, industrial electrician) pays more than residential, and overtime is where six figures come from.
- Union vs non-union. IBEW, UA and CCQ-covered work sets the rate; non-union residential can be a third lower.
- Province. Alberta's journeyman rates are the highest here; Quebec's institutional CCQ rates are close behind but seasonal; Ontario sits in the middle with the deepest market.
- Your own company. The trade ticket to contracting company pathway is how a $70,000 trade becomes a $150,000 business, with all the risk that implies.
The ones that are hard to get into
Powerline technician pays the most and has the fewest openings; utilities run their own schools and entry is very competitive. Millwright and HVAC are the practical sweet spot: high pay, steady demand, and employers who actually sponsor.
Quick answers
What is the highest paying trade in Canada?
Powerline technician, with journeyperson earnings around $88,000 in Ontario and over $100,000 in BC and Alberta, but it has the fewest openings. Among trades that hire steadily, HVAC and millwright lead, with year-five earnings of roughly $70,000 to $90,000 depending on province.
How much does an apprentice electrician make?
About $39,000 to $41,000 in the first year in Ontario, BC and Alberta, rising to the journeyperson median of $66,000 (Ontario) to $82,000 (Alberta) by around year five. Quebec DEP graduates enter at about 60 percent of the compagnon rate.
Which trades are in demand right now?
In Ontario, Job Bank rates HVAC and powerline technician good, electrician, plumber, millwright, carpenter and auto technician moderate, and welder very limited for 2025 to 2027. Alberta and Quebec rate most construction trades higher than Ontario does.
Which province pays trades the most?
Alberta has the highest journeyman rates in this comparison, followed by BC and Quebec's institutional construction rates. Cost of living and seasonality matter: Quebec construction is about 1,600 hours a year.
See your own three options
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Figures are medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, provincial wage surveys and institution fee pages, verified in 2026; the data page lists every source. Your own numbers will differ by employer, region and overtime.