Reports · Concrete Finisher (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-10
Concrete Finisher (Red Seal) in Canada — Trade Report
A sourced reference on the concrete finisher (red seal) trade in Canada covering pay by province, real demand, the road to certification, and the exam's actual structure.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 13,400 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 73100 (group includes apprentices + cement/concrete mason titles; stats are not journeypersons-only)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 1993 [6]. Trade certification is compulsory in Quebec; voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia; not offered in Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut. [4]
What you'll earn
Job Bank's federal wage figures (reference period 2023-2024) show a national median of $34.00/hour, with a spread from $24.50 to $43.47 [1]. The published spread runs from $25.00/hour in New Brunswick to $38.00/hour in Quebec.
Median hourly wage by province/territory (low–high)
| Province / territory | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | $38.00 | $28.00–$43.00 |
| Ontario | $35.70 | $25.00–$45.59 |
| British Columbia | $35.00 | $26.00–$43.05 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $32.90 | $23.00–$42.00 |
| Alberta | $32.00 | $25.00–$41.00 |
| Manitoba | $30.00 | $22.00–$36.46 |
| Saskatchewan | $27.30 | $21.50–$36.00 |
| New Brunswick | $25.00 | $20.00–$30.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $25.00 | $19.50–$30.34 |
| Northwest Territories | — | no data published |
| Nunavut | — | no data published |
| Prince Edward Island | — | no data published |
| Yukon | — | no data published |
Source: Job Bank wage report, NOC 73100, updated 2026-06-02 [1]. 83.7% of workers in this occupation nationally also get at least one non-wage benefit, per the same page.
One advantage of the Red Seal system: it's portable across jurisdictions, so the spread above is a real guide if you're weighing a move.
Where the jobs are
The federal occupational projection assesses this trade as: moderate risk of labour shortage, 2024-2033, as reported consistently across Ottawa's Job Bank and COPS labour-market outlooks [3] The workforce is 22% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 67.0 [2]. expansion ~44% (above the all-occupation average per COPS); replacement ~56%; occupational mobility slightly negative. Most work is in construction 98% (industry growing 1.5%/yr per COPS) [3].
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Nova Scotia |
| Moderate | New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta |
| Limited | Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia |
| Undetermined | Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 73100, updated 2026-06-02 [2].
The path to Red Seal
3,600 total hours (2 levels) in NL/NS/MB/BC (e.g. NL 3,168 on-job + 432 in-school); Ontario 4,980 (4,500 on-job + 480 in-school, ~2.5 years, per Skilled Trades Ontario — OVERRIDES Ellis's stale 4,500 total); Quebec 4,900 (4,000 + 900); Alberta 3,840 (3 periods of 1,200 work hours; classroom 4 wks in periods 1-2; apprenticeship intake 'Temporarily Unavailable' per Ellis); PE/NB/SK/YT/NT/NU: no apprenticeship program [4]
For experienced workers who never went through an apprenticeship: 8,000 PE; 5,400 NL/NS/NB/MB; 5,040 AB (Tradesecrets: 36 months + 5,040 verifiable hours + theory exam — OVERRIDES Ellis's 5,400); 5,000 ON; 4,860 BC; no challenge route in QC; n/a SK/YT/NT/NU [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]
- trade names vary: 'Cement (Concrete) Finisher' (ON, 244G), 'Cement Finisher' (QC)
- Bricklayer (NOC 72320) and Construction Craft Worker are separate Red Seal tickets — do not conflate [6]
The exam — and what to study most
This trade's certification exam is 100 questions, pass mark 70%, writing time four hours [5]. The blocks aren't equal weight — here's what the official breakdown says to focus on:
Official exam weightings
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| D — Finishes plastic concrete | 25% | ~25 |
| F — Modifies and repairs concrete and performs grouting | 19% | ~19 |
| C — Places and levels concrete | 18% | ~18 |
| E — Cures and protects concrete | 15% | ~15 |
| A — Common occupational skills | 14% | ~14 |
| B — Site preparation | 9% | ~9 |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
The practical read: Finishes plastic concrete alone is 25% of the exam. A diagnostic-style practice run that scores you per block is the fastest way to find out which blocks are actually costing you marks.
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal Concrete Finisher page: the standard, designation info, and exam links.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's actual structure from the source: 100 questions across 6 blocks, plus a self-assessment tool.
- red-seal.ca — The complete Red Seal Occupational Standard the exam is written against.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024).
- 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 (some hour figures lag the regulators — corrected here).
- www.skilledtradesontario.ca — Ontario's regulator page for 244G: the current 4,980-hour program and C of Q.
- tradesecrets.alberta.ca — Alberta's profile: 3-period term and the 36-month/5,040-hour challenge route.
Practice against the same standard
This concrete finisher (red seal) bank tracks the real exam's own block structure, so your practice results actually predict exam-day performance. Free to start. The full bank runs 600 questions.
Practice Concrete Finisher (Red Seal) free →
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Concrete Finisher (NOC 73100). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 73100). 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 Concrete Finisher page: the standard, designation info, and exam links. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- The complete Red Seal Occupational Standard the exam is written against. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ontario's regulator page for 244G: the current 4,980-hour program and C of Q. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Alberta's profile: 3-period term and the 36-month/5,040-hour challenge route. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-07-10.
Take this as a dated, sourced snapshot, not advice. Wage and outlook numbers change over time — the linked government sources above always have today's figures.