TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-10
Baker (Red Seal) in Canada — Trade Report
The baker (red seal) trade in Canada, sourced end to end: wages by province, real demand, the Red Seal path, and the exam's actual weighting — nothing on this page is a guess.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 32,500 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 63202 (group includes apprentices and bakery supervisors; excludes bakery machine operators and pastry chefs)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 1988 [6]. Trade certification is voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut; not offered in Saskatchewan. [4]
What you'll earn
Job Bank's federal wage figures (reference period 2023-2024) show a national median of $17.50/hour, with a spread from $15.00 to $24.81 [1]. The published spread runs from $16.35/hour in Newfoundland & Labrador to $22.69/hour in Yukon.
Median hourly wage by province/territory (low–high)
| Province / territory | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon | $22.69 | $18.51–$30.36 |
| British Columbia | $20.00 | $18.25–$27.85 |
| Alberta | $18.00 | $15.00–$24.04 |
| Saskatchewan | $18.00 | $15.35–$24.00 |
| Quebec | $17.80 | $16.60–$24.12 |
| Ontario | $17.60 | $17.60–$22.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $17.00 | $17.00–$17.50 |
| Nova Scotia | $16.75 | $16.75–$25.70 |
| Manitoba | $16.50 | $16.00–$23.00 |
| New Brunswick | $16.50 | $15.90–$20.00 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $16.35 | $16.35–$19.27 |
| Northwest Territories | — | no data published |
| Nunavut | — | no data published |
Source: Job Bank wage report, NOC 63202, updated 2026-06-02 [1]. The same page shows 62.9% of the national workforce here also gets a non-wage benefit.
A real perk of holding the Red Seal: it isn't tied to one province, so the spread above is worth a look before any relocation.
Where the jobs are
Canada's own 10-year projection for this trade reads: labour demand and supply expected to be broadly in line, 2024-2033 — a balanced-market call, not a shortage [3] The workforce is 33% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 65 [2]. expansion ~7%; replacement ~93% (retirements ~79% of openings) — almost entirely a replacement trade. Most work is in retail trade 55%; food services 33%; food and beverage manufacturing 10% [3].
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Nova Scotia |
| Moderate | Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta |
| Limited | Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia |
| Undetermined | Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 63202, updated 2026-06-02 [2].
The path to Red Seal
5,400 total hours (3 levels) in NS/BC/YT/NT/NU per Ellis; Alberta 3 periods of 1,560 work hours + 8 wks classroom each (4,680 on-job, per Tradesecrets — OVERRIDES Ellis's 5,400); Ontario 6,000 (5,280 on-job + 720 in-school, ~3 years, per Skilled Trades Ontario — OVERRIDES Ellis's 7,000); Quebec ~3 years; NL/PE/NB/MB hours not listed on Ellis [4]
Already working in the trade without a ticket? 8,100 NL/NS/MB/YT; 8,000 PE; 7,560 BC; 7,200 NB/NT/NU; 7,020 AB (Tradesecrets: 54 months + 7,020 hours + theory exam — matches Ellis); Ontario has NO challenge route (STO cannot accept Trade Equivalency Assessments for this trade); Quebec n/a [4]
Money on the table: the federal Team Canada Strong package includes: $6B plan to recruit 80,000-100,000 new Red Seal trades workers over five years; $400/week Apprenticeship Training Grant during in-class technical training, worth up to $16,000 per apprentice, in addition to EI; one-time $5,000 Red Seal completion bonus. amounts are 'up to' figures; first payments expected no earlier than fall 2026; core funding starts 2026-27 [10]
- Ontario (Baker 423A) has NO certifying exam: completion earns a Certificate of Apprenticeship only (no Certificate of Qualification), and no challenge route exists — whether Ontarians can obtain a Red Seal endorsement in this trade is not stated on either fetched page (honest unknown, do not assert either way) [8]
- Ontario also has a distinct Baker-Patissier (423C) trade variant [8]
- pastry chefs are excluded from this NOC (classified with Chefs); Cook is a separate Red Seal trade (NOC 63200)
The exam — and what to study most
This trade's certification exam is 150 questions, pass mark 70%, writing time four hours [5]. Not every block counts the same — here's the real, official breakdown of where marks live:
Official exam weightings
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| B — Prepares fermented goods | 27% | ~41 |
| C — Prepares cookies, bars, cakes, pastry and quick breads | 22% | ~33 |
| D — Prepares assembly and finishing | 17% | ~26 |
| A — Common occupational skills | 16% | ~23 |
| E — Prepares chocolate and confections | 10% | ~15 |
| F — Prepares desserts, ice creams and ices | 8% | ~12 |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
The takeaway: Prepares fermented goods makes up 27% of the exam by itself. Don't guess where you're weak — a block-scored diagnostic run will tell you.
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal Baker page: the standard, exam info, and sample questions.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's actual structure from the source: 150 questions across 6 blocks, plus the formula sheet provided at the sitting.
- red-seal.ca — Red Seal's own free sample questions for this trade.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024 LFS).
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Job Bank: 3-year prospects by province + the 10-year national outlook.
- ellischart.ca — Ellis Chart (ESDC): the cross-jurisdiction comparison — spot-check against your province's regulator (two discrepancies found and corrected here).
- www.skilledtradesontario.ca — Ontario's regulator page for 423A: Certificate of Apprenticeship only, no certifying exam or challenge route.
- tradesecrets.alberta.ca — Alberta's program page: 3 periods of 1,560 hours + 8 weeks school each, 7,020-hour challenge route.
Practice against the same standard
This site's baker (red seal) bank mirrors the standard the real exam is built from, block by block, so practice results actually mean something. No account needed to try it free. The full bank runs 600 questions.
Practice Baker (Red Seal) free →
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Baker (NOC 63202). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 63202). updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- ESDC — Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) 2024-2033. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ellis Chart (ESDC) — interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — exam information. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Official Red Seal Baker page: the standard, exam info, and sample questions. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal's own free sample questions for this trade. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ontario's regulator page for 423A: Certificate of Apprenticeship only, no certifying exam or challenge route. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Alberta's program page: 3 periods of 1,560 hours + 8 weeks school each, 7,020-hour challenge route. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-07-10.
This report is informational, not career or financial advice. Wage and outlook data are Government of Canada figures for the periods stated and change over time — the links above always have the current numbers.