Reports · Drywall Finisher & Plasterer (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-10
Drywall Finisher & Plasterer (453A) Wages & Outlook in Canada — Trade Report
Also known as: 453A, taper, drywall taper, plasterer.
A no-filler look at the drywall finisher & plasterer (red seal) trade in Canada — pay, outlook, certification, and exam structure, each fact traced to its government or regulator source.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 27,500 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 73102 (group covers plasterers + drywall installers + lathers + apprentices; far broader than certified Drywall Finisher and Plasterer journeypersons)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 2012 [7]. Trade certification is compulsory in Quebec; voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, British Columbia; not offered in New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut. red-seal.ca's landing page lists 'Designated Red Seal in: NL, NS, ON, PE, QC' (BC absent), but Ellis marks BC Red Seal=yes AND SkilledTradesBC documents a Harmonized Red Seal Program (primary pathway from 2026-04-01) with a Red Seal Endorsement route — the regulator's word carried; the red-seal.ca list appears stale. [4]
Why another trade here shows the same numbers: Drywall Finisher & Plasterer (Red Seal) and Lather / Interior Systems Mechanic (Red Seal) are separate Red Seal trades that share one statistical group, NOC 73102. Job Bank and Statistics Canada publish a single combined set of wage, outlook and projection figures covering both — no drywall finisher & plasterer (red seal)-only series exists. So every figure below is identical on the Lather / Interior Systems Mechanic (Red Seal) report by definition, not by duplication. The certification paths and exam content are genuinely different.
Practice Drywall Finisher & Plasterer (Red Seal) free →
What you'll earn
According to Job Bank's own wage data (reference period 2023-2024), the national median sits at $33.00/hour, with a spread from $23.00 to $43.75 [1]. The published spread runs from $25.00/hour in Newfoundland & Labrador to $38.00/hour in Quebec.
Median hourly wage by province/territory, highest to lowest
Some smaller jurisdictions don't publish separate wage data for this occupation.
View exact numbers
| Province / territory | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | $38.00 | $25.00–$43.34 |
| Ontario | $35.48 | $24.00–$48.73 |
| British Columbia | $30.00 | $22.00–$39.84 |
| Alberta | $28.65 | $20.00–$37.00 |
| New Brunswick | $28.00 | $21.00–$34.28 |
| Nova Scotia | $28.00 | $18.88–$35.13 |
| Manitoba | $26.52 | $19.00–$34.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $26.50 | $20.00–$35.00 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $25.00 | $20.00–$33.00 |
| 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 73102, updated 2026-06-02 [1]. 84.7% of workers in this occupation nationally also get at least one non-wage benefit, per the same page.
If you already hold your Red Seal: it's interprovincially portable by design — the table above is your negotiation and mobility benchmark.
Where the jobs are
The government's 10-year outlook for this occupation: labour demand and supply expected to be broadly in line, 2024-2033 — a balanced-market call, not a shortage [3] The workforce is 28% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 67 [2]. Most work is in construction 100% — works exclusively in construction (industry growing 1.5%/yr per COPS) [3].
Why openings exist
expansion ~21% (below the ~32% all-occupation average); replacement ~79% (retirements ~71% of replacement); annual growth 0.6%/yr vs 1.2% national avg.
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
View as a table
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan |
| Moderate | New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta |
| Limited | Manitoba, British Columbia |
| Very limited | Quebec |
| Undetermined | Newfoundland & Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 73102, updated 2026-06-02 [2].
The path to Red Seal
Total apprenticeship hours, by jurisdiction
Sorted shortest to longest. A few trade-qualifier-only or differently-measured jurisdictions aren't safely comparable as an hours figure and are omitted here -- see the full breakdown below.
View exact numbers
- 5,400 total hours in NS (1 level)/ON (4,920 on-job + 480 in-school, ~3 years, 1 level, per Skilled Trades Ontario — matches Ellis)/BC (SkilledTradesBC: 5,040 work-based + 12 weeks technical over 2 years — the regulator's split is authoritative)
- Quebec 6,810 (810 technical)
- NL and PE designate the trade but list no apprenticeship program hours
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
Been doing the work for years without a certificate?
Challenge / trade-qualifier hours, by jurisdiction
- 8,100 NL/NS
- 7,560 BC
- 6,000 PE
- 5,400 ON
- no challenge route in QC
- n/a in the 7 non-designating jurisdictions
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [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 [11]
- Lather (Interior Systems Mechanic) is a separate Red Seal trade (ceiling-system framework, steel studs, lath); there is NO separate 'Plasterer' Red Seal trade
- trade titled 'Plasterer' / 'Jointoyeur et plâtrier' in Quebec [7]
The exam — and what to study most
The interprovincial exam for this trade is 100 questions, pass mark 70% [10], writing time four hours [5]. It is not weighted evenly — the official block weightings tell you where your study time should go:
Official exam weightings, highest to lowest
Sorted highest to lowest — Taping (top) carries the most marks on its own (45%).
View exact numbers
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| A — Common occupational skills | — | ~15 |
| B — Taping | — | ~45 |
| C — Texturing | — | ~7 |
| D — Plastering, special coatings and systems | — | ~9 |
| E — Moulding | — | ~5 |
| F — Repairs and restoration | — | ~19 |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
The takeaway: Taping makes up 45% of the exam by itself. Don't guess where you're weak — a block-scored diagnostic run will tell you. Try a free diagnostic on Drywall Finisher & Plasterer (Red Seal) →
Practice against the same standard
Every drywall finisher & plasterer (red seal) question here is written to the same official standard the exam uses, block by block. Try it free, no account required. The full bank runs 602 questions.
Practice Drywall Finisher & Plasterer (Red Seal) free →
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal trade page: designation list, standards, and exam links.
- red-seal.ca — The CURRENT exam's authoritative 100-question block/task breakdown.
- red-seal.ca — The incoming RSOS-based exam structure — worth watching for the changeover.
- 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): hours, ratios, and challenge pathways for the 6 designating jurisdictions.
- www.skilledtradesontario.ca — Ontario's regulator page for 453A: the 5,400-hour program and C of Q.
- skilledtradesbc.ca — SkilledTradesBC: the Harmonized Red Seal Program (primary pathway from 2026-04-01).
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Drywall Finisher And Plasterer (NOC 73102). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 73102). 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.
- Red Seal — exam weightings. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Official Red Seal trade page: designation list, standards, and exam links. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ontario's regulator page for 453A: the 5,400-hour program and C of Q. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- SkilledTradesBC: the Harmonized Red Seal Program (primary pathway from 2026-04-01). Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — Exam Preparation Guide (70% pass mark, four-hour writing time). Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-07-10.
This is a sourced reference page, not advice of any kind. The wage/outlook figures are dated government data and will shift — the source links above stay current.