Trade reports FAQ

Trade reports: frequently asked questions

Note: Download a printable PDF version of the frequently asked questions here.

• Q: Where does the trade description at the left of the apprenticeship section come from?
  A: The trade description comes from a combination of sources namely:

  1. Labour Market Information – Job Bank
  2. Trade Details – Skilled Trades Ontario website
  3. National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 trade descriptions – Statistics Canada
  4. Trade description – Red Seal website
  5. Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 – Ontario Regulation 875/21
• Q: Where does the information in the table at the right of the apprenticeship section come from?
  A: The information in the table in the apprenticeship section comes from a combination of sources namely:

  1. Ontario Regulation 877/21: General under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021
  2. The Apprenticeship Program section of each trade on the Skilled Trades Ontario website
  3. The Program Guidelines section of the Apprenticeship Training Standard
  4. The Labour Market Insights Report on the Workforce Planning Ontario website
• Q: What is the Trade Equivalency Assessment Process?
  A: Skilled Trades Ontario’s Trade Equivalency Assessment is the first step towards obtaining a Certificate of Qualification for experienced workers who have not completed an Ontario apprenticeship but who have equivalent skills and experience.
  The Trade Equivalency Assessment determines whether you can challenge the certifying exam for a trade.

   
  If successful in the exam, you would pay a fee to be issued a Certificate of Qualification in that trade. The Trade Equivalency Assessment is only available in trades with certifying exams.
   
  For more information, visit Trade Equivalency Assessment – Skilled Trades Ontario

• Q: What if I do not meet the prescribed Academic Entry Requirements (AERs)?
  Individuals who do not meet the prescribed Academic Entry Requirements (AERs) may be able to register as an apprentice through the Experienced Apprenticeship Pathway (EAP).

  To be considered for EAP, the applicant must:

  1. be at least at least 21 years old, or
  2. have not received formal education for a period of at least three years.

  Applicants seeking to register through the EAP must submit a completed Experienced Apprenticeship Pathway Form as part of their registration application.

• Q: What is ‘Workforce Planning Ontario’?
  A: Workforce Planning Ontario is made up of a network of 25 Workforce Planning Board areas covering four regions across the province. These boards conduct localized research and actively engage organizations and community partners in local labour market projects.
   
  Workforce Planning Boards gather intelligence about the supply of labour and the demand side of the local labour market by working with employers to identify and meet their current and emerging skills needs.
   
  For more information, visit Home – Workforce Planning Ontario
   
  Workforce Planning Ontario was used:

  1. To compile a list of the required skills for the Apprenticeship section
  2. As the source of reference for the “Highest Job Posting by Region” and “Job Posting by Area in Ontario” tiles in the Workforce section
  3. To calculate the “Annual Salary Range” and “Hourly Salary Range” in the Income section
• Q: What is a Certificate of Qualification?
  A: A Certificate of Qualification is a document issued to an individual who has successfully passed the required examination for the trade and paid any applicable fees. Only trades named in the regulations of the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (BOSTA) that are required to have a certifying examination, have a Certificate of Qualification available.

• Q: What factors affect the Hourly Wage Range and Annual Salary Range listed in the Income section of the trade report?
  A: The hourly and annual income ranges vary based on different factors including location, other certifications, and work experience. In Ontario, employers, unions, and organizations may offer additional benefits such as: Health Insurance, Retirement Plans, Dental Insurance, and Training Programs, among others.
• Q: Why has the Hourly Wage Range and Annual Salary Range for some trades changed significantly since last year?
  A: Because wage data is grouped by the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code for each trade, hourly and annual figures may have changed significantly since last year’s Trade Reports because of wage data from other, non-skilled trade, occupations affiliated with the same NOC code.

• Q: What is the National Occupational Classification code?
  A: The National Occupational Classification code (NOC) is the national reference for occupations in Canada.
   
  It provides a systematic classification structure that categorizes the entire range of occupational activity in Canada for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating occupational data for labour market information and employment-related program administration.
   
  For more information, visit National Occupational Classification – Canada.ca (esdc.gc.ca)