Reports · Gasfitter - Class A (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-08-10
Gasfitter - Class A Wages & Outlook in Canada — Trade Report
Also known as: Gas Technician (TSSA G1), gas technician, G1, gas ticket. Ontario has no gasfitter trade - gas work is licensed by TSSA as Gas Technician G1/G2/G3; Class A aligns with G1.
A no-filler look at the gasfitter - class a (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 5,500 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 72302 (Job Bank/COPS group 72302 counts Class A and Class B gasfitters together; the stats are not Class-A-only)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 2012 [7]. Trade certification is compulsory in Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia; voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut; not offered in Ontario, Saskatchewan. [4]
Practice Gasfitter - Class A (Red Seal) free →
What you'll earn
According to Job Bank's own wage data (reference period 2023-2024), the national median sits at $40.00/hour, with a spread from $26.44 to $59.62 [1]. The published spread runs from $28.00/hour in Nova Scotia to $46.01/hour in Saskatchewan.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | $46.01 | $34.04–$56.35 |
| Alberta | $42.27 | $28.20–$55.94 |
| British Columbia | $39.82 | $25.97–$56.72 |
| Ontario | $36.06 | $26.00–$62.50 |
| New Brunswick | $35.24 | $25.00–$48.47 |
| Quebec | $34.80 | $25.24–$46.15 |
| Manitoba | $32.00 | $26.00–$41.50 |
| Nova Scotia | $28.00 | $26.44–$47.50 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | — | no data published |
| 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 72302, updated 2025-11-19 [1]. 99.2% of workers in this occupation nationally also get at least one non-wage benefit, per the same page.
Because the Red Seal travels between provinces, the wage spread above is genuinely useful for anyone already certified and weighing a move.
Where the jobs are
Ottawa's own labour-market projection rates this trade as: moderate risk of labour shortage, 2024-2033, at the national level (group level) [3] The workforce is 29% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 65 [2]. retirement ~72% of openings; job creation ~18% — a small, retirement-driven occupation (group level). Most work is in construction 55%; electric, gas and water utilities 20%; retail trade 10% (group level; top-3 partial breakdown — does not sum to 100%) [3].
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
View as a table
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan |
| Moderate | Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta |
| Limited | British Columbia |
| Very limited | Quebec |
| Undetermined | Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 72302, updated 2025-12-10 [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/AB/YT/NT/NU
- New Brunswick 6,720
- Manitoba 7,200
- BC 3,600 (the shortest)
- NL and PE certify via the challenge route only (no hours-based program listed)
- Ontario and Saskatchewan list no designated program
- Quebec is compulsory but not on the hours-based model
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
Been doing the work for years without a certificate?
Challenge / trade-qualifier hours, by jurisdiction
- 8,100 NL/NS/YT
- 10,800 NB/MB
- 7,200 NT/NU
- 7,020 AB
- 6,000 PE
- 4,500 BC
- no route in QC
- n/a ON/SK
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 [9]
- Class A covers the big equipment: appliances and systems exceeding 400,000 Btuh (120 kW) — the class boundary that separates it from Class B work
- British Columbia runs the shortest apprenticeship in the country at 3,600 hours — half the New Brunswick requirement — while also making certification compulsory [4]
The exam — and what to study most
This trade is tested with 100 questions, pass mark 70% [8], 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 — Tests and commissions fuel systems, appliances and ancillary equipment (top) carries the most marks on its own (23%).
View exact numbers
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| F — Tests and commissions fuel systems, appliances and ancillary equipment | 23% | — |
| D — Installs controls and electrical systems | 19% | — |
| G — Services fuel systems, appliances and ancillary equipment | 18% | — |
| C — Installs venting and air supply systems | 13% | — |
| E — Installs and converts fuel systems, appliances and ancillary equipment | 13% | — |
| B — Installs fuel piping and tubing systems | 9% | — |
| A — Performs common occupational skills | 5% | — |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
The math that matters: Tests and commissions fuel systems, appliances and ancillary equipment alone is 23% of your score. A per-block diagnostic run is the fastest way to find real gaps. Try a free diagnostic on Gasfitter - Class A (Red Seal) →
Practice against the same standard
Every gasfitter - class a (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 600 questions.
Practice Gasfitter - Class A (Red Seal) free →
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal Gasfitter - Class A page: designation (2012), NOC, and the exam links.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's real structure from the source: 100 questions and the question-type mix.
- red-seal.ca — The official block weightings — what the exam actually asks about, and how much of it.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024 LFS).
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Job Bank: three-year prospects by province plus the ten-year national outlook.
- occupations.esdc.gc.ca — COPS 2024-2033 (NOC 72302): projected openings, seekers, and what drives them.
- ellischart.ca — Ellis Chart (ESDC): apprenticeship hours and certification status in all 13 jurisdictions.
- red-seal.ca — The official exam guide: 70% pass mark, four-hour writing time, question style.
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Gasfitter A (NOC 72302). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2025-11-19. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 72302). updated 2025-12-10. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- ESDC — Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) 2024-2033. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Ellis Chart (ESDC) — interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Red Seal — exam information. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Red Seal — exam weightings. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Official Red Seal Gasfitter - Class A page: designation (2012), NOC, and the exam links. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- The official exam guide: 70% pass mark, four-hour writing time, question style. Accessed 2026-08-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-08-10.
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.