Ontario's 144 prescribed trades
Ontario is the province where “is this trade regulated?” has a precise legal answer, because the answer is a schedule in a regulation rather than a page on a website. This table is parsed directly from O. Reg. 876/21 — Prescribed Trades and Related Matters (Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021).
- 144 prescribed trades — recognised trades you can apprentice in.
- 23 compulsory trades — it is illegal to do this work unless you hold a Certificate of Qualification, a Provisional C of Q, or are an apprentice under a Registered Training Agreement. Enforced by ministry inspectors with monetary penalties.
- 83 trades with a certifying exam.
- 33 trades subject to an apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio — the ratio is why some trades are hard to get into regardless of demand: an employer legally cannot take you on without enough journeypersons on staff.
The 23 compulsory trades
Section titled “The 23 compulsory trades”- Alignment and brakes technician
- Auto body and collision damage repairer
- Auto body repairer
- Automotive electronic accessory technician
- Automotive service technician
- Electrician — construction and maintenance
- Electrician — domestic and rural
- Fuel and electrical systems technician
- Hairstylist
- Hoisting engineer — mobile crane operator 1
- Hoisting engineer — mobile crane operator 2
- Hoisting engineer — tower crane operator
- Motorcycle technician
- Plumber
- Refrigeration and air conditioning systems mechanic
- Residential air conditioning systems mechanic
- Residential (low rise) sheet metal installer
- Sheet metal worker
- Sprinkler and fire protection installer
- Steamfitter
- Transmission technician
- Truck and coach technician
- Truck-trailer service technician
All 144 prescribed trades
Section titled “All 144 prescribed trades”| Trade | Compulsory | Certifying exam | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal child development practitioner | |||
| Agricultural — dairy herdsperson | |||
| Agricultural equipment technician | ✅ | ||
| Agricultural — fruit grower | |||
| Agricultural — swine herdsperson | |||
| Alignment and brakes technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Appliance service technician | ✅ | ||
| Arborist | ✅ | ||
| Architectural glass and metal technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Assistant cook | |||
| Auto body and collision damage repairer | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Auto body repairer | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Automotive electronic accessory technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Automotive glass technician | |||
| Automotive painter | ✅ | ||
| Automotive service technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Baker | |||
| Baker-patissier | ✅ | ||
| Bearings mechanic | |||
| Blacksmith | |||
| Brick and stone mason | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Cabinet maker | |||
| Cement (concrete) finisher | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Chef | |||
| Child and youth worker | |||
| Child development practitioner | |||
| Computer numerical control (CNC) programmer | |||
| Concrete pump operator | ✅ | ||
| Construction boilermaker | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Construction craft worker | ✅ | ||
| Construction millwright | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Cook | ✅ | ||
| Developmental services worker | |||
| Die designer | |||
| Draftsperson — mechanical | |||
| Draftsperson — plastic mould design | |||
| Draftsperson — tool and die design | |||
| Drywall, acoustic and lathing applicator | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Drywall finisher and plasterer | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Educational assistant | |||
| Electric motor system technician | ✅ | ||
| Electrician — construction and maintenance | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Electrician — domestic and rural | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Electrician (signal maintenance) | |||
| Electronic service technician | |||
| Elevating devices mechanic | |||
| Entertainment industry power technician | ✅ | ||
| Exterior insulated finish systems mechanic | |||
| Facilities mechanic | ✅ | ||
| Facilities technician | ✅ | ||
| Floor covering installer | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Fuel and electrical systems technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Gemsetter/goldsmith | |||
| General carpenter | ✅ | ✅ | |
| General machinist | ✅ | ||
| Hairstylist | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Hazardous materials worker | ✅ | ||
| Heat and frost insulator | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Heavy duty equipment technician | ✅ | ||
| Heavy equipment operator — dozer | ✅ | ||
| Heavy equipment operator — excavator | ✅ | ||
| Heavy equipment operator —tractor loader backhoe | ✅ | ||
| Hoisting engineer — mobile crane operator 1 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hoisting engineer — mobile crane operator 2 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hoisting engineer — tower crane operator | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Horse groom | |||
| Horse harness maker | |||
| Horticultural technician | ✅ | ||
| Hydraulic/pneumatic mechanic | |||
| Industrial electrician | ✅ | ||
| Industrial mechanic millwright | ✅ | ||
| Information technology — contact centre customer service agent | |||
| Information technology — contact centre sales agent | |||
| Information technology — contact centre technical support agent | |||
| Information technology — hardware technician | |||
| Information technology — network technician | |||
| Institutional cook | ✅ | ||
| Instrumentation and control technician | ✅ | ||
| Ironworker — generalist | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Ironworker — structural and ornamental | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Light rail overhead contact systems linesperson | |||
| Locksmith | |||
| Machine tool builder and integrator | ✅ | ||
| Marine engine technician | ✅ | ||
| Metal fabricator (fitter) | ✅ | ||
| Micro electronics manufacturer | |||
| Motive power machinist | ✅ | ||
| Motorcycle technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Mould designer | |||
| Mould maker | ✅ | ||
| Mould or die finisher | |||
| Native clothing and crafts artisan | |||
| Native residential construction worker | |||
| Network cabling specialist | ✅ | ||
| Optics technician (lens and prism maker) | |||
| Packaging machine mechanic | |||
| Painter and decorator — commercial and residential | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Painter and decorator — industrial | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Parts technician | ✅ | ||
| Pattern maker | ✅ | ||
| Plumber | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Powered lift truck technician | ✅ | ||
| Powerline technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Precast concrete erector | ✅ | ||
| Precast concrete finisher | ✅ | ||
| Pressure systems welder | ✅ | ||
| Process operator — food manufacturing | |||
| Process operator — power | |||
| Process operator — refinery, chemical and liquid processes | |||
| Process operator — wood products | |||
| Railway car technician | ✅ | ||
| Recreation vehicle technician | ✅ | ||
| Refractory mason | |||
| Refrigeration and air conditioning systems mechanic | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reinforcing rodworker | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Relay and instrumentation technician | |||
| Residential air conditioning systems mechanic | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Residential (low rise) sheet metal installer | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Restoration mason | ✅ | ||
| Retail meat cutter | |||
| Roofer | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Saddlery | |||
| Saw filer/fitter | |||
| Sheet metal worker | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Small engine technician | ✅ | ||
| Special events co-ordinator | |||
| Sprinkler and fire protection installer | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Steamfitter | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Surface blaster | ✅ | ||
| Surface mount assembler | |||
| Terrazzo, tile and marble setter | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Thin film technician | |||
| Tool and cutter grinder | |||
| Tool and die maker | ✅ | ||
| Tool and gauge inspector | |||
| Tool/tooling maker | ✅ | ||
| Tractor-trailer commercial driver | |||
| Transmission technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Truck and coach technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Truck-trailer service technician | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Turf equipment technician | |||
| Utility arborist | ✅ | ||
| Water well driller | |||
| Welder | ✅ |
Source: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/210876 — parsed by scripts/scrape-ontario-trades.mjs. This is a summary, not legal advice; the regulation governs.