Licence status by province and territory

Where heavy equipment operators (excavator) need certification
Ontario: Voluntary certificationQuebec: Certification requiredNew Brunswick: Voluntary certificationNova Scotia: Voluntary certificationPrince Edward Island: Voluntary certificationNewfoundland and Labrador: Voluntary certificationNunavut: Voluntary certification

Boundaries simplified for display. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census boundary files.

  • Certification required
  • Voluntary certification
  • Not confirmed yet
  • British Columbia: Not confirmed yet
  • Alberta: Not confirmed yet
  • Saskatchewan: Not confirmed yet
  • Manitoba: Not confirmed yet
  • Ontario: Voluntary certification
  • Quebec: Certification required
  • New Brunswick: Voluntary certification
  • Nova Scotia: Voluntary certification
  • Prince Edward Island: Voluntary certification
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: Voluntary certification
  • Yukon: Not confirmed yet
  • Northwest Territories: Not confirmed yet
  • Nunavut: Voluntary certification
Heavy equipment operator (excavator): licence status, regulator and guide in each jurisdiction
WhereLicence statusRegulatorGuide
British Columbia Not confirmed yet — —
Alberta Not confirmed yet — —
Saskatchewan Not confirmed yet — —
Manitoba Not confirmed yet — —
Ontario Voluntary certification Skilled Trades Ontario Read the guide for Ontario
Quebec Certification required Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle Read the guide for Quebec
New Brunswick Voluntary certification New Brunswick Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Read the guide for New Brunswick
Nova Scotia Voluntary certification Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency Read the guide for Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island Voluntary certification Apprenticeship Section Read the guide for Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland and Labrador Voluntary certification Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division Read the guide for Newfoundland and Labrador
Yukon Not confirmed yet — —
Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet — —
Nunavut Voluntary certification Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Read the guide for Nunavut

Compare the provinces

Listed one-time fees

Listed one-time fees for heavy equipment operators (excavator) by province and territoryListed fees in Ontario: not listed. Listed fees in Quebec: not listed. Listed fees in New Brunswick: $200, for people trained outside Canada. Listed fees in Nova Scotia: not listed. Listed fees in Prince Edward Island: not listed. Listed fees in Newfoundland and Labrador: not listed. Listed fees in Nunavut: not listed.$0$50$100$150$200Listed fees in Ontario: not listedOntarioNot listedListed fees in Quebec: not listedQuebecNot listedListed fees in New Brunswick: $200, for people trained outside CanadaNew Brunswick$200Listed fees in Nova Scotia: not listedNova ScotiaNot listedListed fees in Prince Edward Island: not listedPrince Edward IslandNot listedListed fees in Newfoundland and Labrador: not listedNewfoundland and LabradorNot listedListed fees in Nunavut: not listedNunavutNot listed
The fees the regulator lists for the steps of one route, added up in Canadian dollars. Fees that depend on your situation and annual fees are not included. Not listed: the guide lists no fee for that route. No-fee steps: steps of that route with no listed fee.
Listed one-time fees for heavy equipment operators (excavator) by province and territory (table)
WhereFeesRouteNo-fee steps
OntarioNot listedTrained outside Canada3
QuebecNot listedTrained in Canada3
New Brunswick$200Trained outside Canada4
Nova ScotiaNot listedTrained outside Canada1
Prince Edward IslandNot listedTrained in Canada0
Newfoundland and LabradorNot listedTrained outside Canada6
NunavutNot listed——

Listed time

Time not stated for every step: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nunavut.

Side by side

Routes, exams, language, listed fees and time, median wage and outlook in each province or territory with a full guide
WhereRoutesExamsLanguage Listed feesListed timeMedian wageOutlook
Ontario Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada Certifying exam, Red Seal exam — Not listed — $32.00 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)
Quebec Trained in Canada — — Not listed — $36.00 an hour Limited (2 of 5)
New Brunswick Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada certification examination, Red Seal exam — $200 (Trained outside Canada) — $25.00 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)
Nova Scotia Trained in Canada, Trained outside Canada Trade qualifier exam, Certification exam — Not listed — $25.00 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)
Prince Edward Island Trained in Canada Written Certification Examination — Not listed — $24.00 an hour Good (4 of 5)
Newfoundland and Labrador Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada certification exam, Red Seal exam — Not listed — $30.00 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)
Nunavut — Written Certification Examination, Practical Final Examination — Not listed — $38.08 an hour Good (4 of 5)

Moving between provinces

Heavy equipment operator (excavator): moving a licence between provinces and territories
  • Direct transfer (12)
  • Extra steps (6)
  • Not stated (24)
All answers as a table
Heavy equipment operator (excavator): moving a licence between provinces and territories. Rows: licensed in; columns: moving to.
Licensed in / moving toOntarioQuebecNew BrunswickNova ScotiaPrince Edward IslandNewfoundland and LabradorNunavut
OntarioSame placeNot stated, Ontario to QuebecDirect transfer, Ontario to New BrunswickNot stated, Ontario to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Ontario to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Ontario to Newfoundland and LabradorNot stated, Ontario to Nunavut
QuebecExtra steps, Quebec to OntarioSame placeDirect transfer, Quebec to New BrunswickNot stated, Quebec to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Quebec to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Quebec to Newfoundland and LabradorNot stated, Quebec to Nunavut
New BrunswickExtra steps, New Brunswick to OntarioNot stated, New Brunswick to QuebecSame placeNot stated, New Brunswick to Nova ScotiaNot stated, New Brunswick to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, New Brunswick to Newfoundland and LabradorNot stated, New Brunswick to Nunavut
Nova ScotiaExtra steps, Nova Scotia to OntarioNot stated, Nova Scotia to QuebecDirect transfer, Nova Scotia to New BrunswickSame placeNot stated, Nova Scotia to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and LabradorNot stated, Nova Scotia to Nunavut
Prince Edward IslandExtra steps, Prince Edward Island to OntarioNot stated, Prince Edward Island to QuebecDirect transfer, Prince Edward Island to New BrunswickNot stated, Prince Edward Island to Nova ScotiaSame placeDirect transfer, Prince Edward Island to Newfoundland and LabradorNot stated, Prince Edward Island to Nunavut
Newfoundland and LabradorExtra steps, Newfoundland and Labrador to OntarioNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to QuebecDirect transfer, Newfoundland and Labrador to New BrunswickNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to Prince Edward IslandSame placeNot stated, Newfoundland and Labrador to Nunavut
NunavutExtra steps, Nunavut to OntarioNot stated, Nunavut to QuebecDirect transfer, Nunavut to New BrunswickNot stated, Nunavut to Nova ScotiaNot stated, Nunavut to Prince Edward IslandDirect transfer, Nunavut to Newfoundland and LabradorSame place

Check one move in the licence transfer checker

Demand and pay

Median wage

Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators (excavator) by province and territoryCanada: $32.50 (low $24.00, high $45.00). British Columbia: $35.75 (low $27.00, high $46.00). Alberta: $34.30 (low $26.00, high $45.00). Saskatchewan: $30.00 (low $24.00, high $44.00). Manitoba: $28.92 (low $22.00, high $38.00). Ontario: $32.00 (low $23.63, high $47.70). Quebec: $36.00 (low $24.00, high $43.40). New Brunswick: $25.00 (low $20.00, high $34.50). Nova Scotia: $25.00 (low $18.00, high $35.50). Prince Edward Island: $24.00 (low $18.25, high $35.00). Newfoundland and Labrador: $30.00 (low $22.00, high $38.00). Yukon: $39.00 (low $32.65, high $42.00). Northwest Territories: $43.73 (low $26.80, high $64.01). Nunavut: $38.08 (low $21.87, high $51.49).$0$20$40$60$80Canada: $32.50 (low $24.00, high $45.00)Canada$32.50British Columbia: $35.75 (low $27.00, high $46.00)British Columbia$35.75Alberta: $34.30 (low $26.00, high $45.00)Alberta$34.30Saskatchewan: $30.00 (low $24.00, high $44.00)Saskatchewan$30.00Manitoba: $28.92 (low $22.00, high $38.00)Manitoba$28.92Ontario: $32.00 (low $23.63, high $47.70)Ontario$32.00Quebec: $36.00 (low $24.00, high $43.40)Quebec$36.00New Brunswick: $25.00 (low $20.00, high $34.50)New Brunswick$25.00Nova Scotia: $25.00 (low $18.00, high $35.50)Nova Scotia$25.00Prince Edward Island: $24.00 (low $18.25, high $35.00)Prince Edward Island$24.00Newfoundland and Labrador: $30.00 (low $22.00, high $38.00)Newfoundland and Labrador$30.00Yukon: $39.00 (low $32.65, high $42.00)Yukon$39.00Northwest Territories: $43.73 (low $26.80, high $64.01)Northwest Territories$43.73Nunavut: $38.08 (low $21.87, high $51.49)Nunavut$38.08
Bars show the median wage. Lines run from the low to the high wage, which are Job Bank’s 10th and 90th percentiles. Grey is all of Canada.
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators (excavator) by province and territory (table)
WhereLowMedianHigh
Canada$24.00$32.50$45.00
British Columbia$27.00$35.75$46.00
Alberta$26.00$34.30$45.00
Saskatchewan$24.00$30.00$44.00
Manitoba$22.00$28.92$38.00
Ontario$23.63$32.00$47.70
Quebec$24.00$36.00$43.40
New Brunswick$20.00$25.00$34.50
Nova Scotia$18.00$25.00$35.50
Prince Edward Island$18.25$24.00$35.00
Newfoundland and Labrador$22.00$30.00$38.00
Yukon$32.65$39.00$42.00
Northwest Territories$26.80$43.73$64.01
Nunavut$21.87$38.08$51.49

Job outlook

Job outlook for heavy equipment operators (excavator) by province and territory, 1 to 5British Columbia: Limited (2 of 5). Alberta: Limited (2 of 5). Saskatchewan: Good (4 of 5). Manitoba: Limited (2 of 5). Ontario: Moderate (3 of 5). Quebec: Limited (2 of 5). New Brunswick: Moderate (3 of 5). Nova Scotia: Moderate (3 of 5). Prince Edward Island: Good (4 of 5). Newfoundland and Labrador: Moderate (3 of 5). Yukon: Moderate (3 of 5). Northwest Territories: Limited (2 of 5). Nunavut: Good (4 of 5).12345British Columbia: Limited (2 of 5)British ColumbiaLimitedAlberta: Limited (2 of 5)AlbertaLimitedSaskatchewan: Good (4 of 5)SaskatchewanGoodManitoba: Limited (2 of 5)ManitobaLimitedOntario: Moderate (3 of 5)OntarioModerateQuebec: Limited (2 of 5)QuebecLimitedNew Brunswick: Moderate (3 of 5)New BrunswickModerateNova Scotia: Moderate (3 of 5)Nova ScotiaModeratePrince Edward Island: Good (4 of 5)Prince Edward IslandGoodNewfoundland and Labrador: Moderate (3 of 5)Newfoundland and LabradorModerateYukon: Moderate (3 of 5)YukonModerateNorthwest Territories: Limited (2 of 5)Northwest TerritoriesLimitedNunavut: Good (4 of 5)NunavutGood
1 is a very limited outlook and 5 a very good one.
Job outlook for heavy equipment operators (excavator) by province and territory, 1 to 5 (table)
WhereOutlook
British ColumbiaLimited (2 of 5)
AlbertaLimited (2 of 5)
SaskatchewanGood (4 of 5)
ManitobaLimited (2 of 5)
OntarioModerate (3 of 5)
QuebecLimited (2 of 5)
New BrunswickModerate (3 of 5)
Nova ScotiaModerate (3 of 5)
Prince Edward IslandGood (4 of 5)
Newfoundland and LabradorModerate (3 of 5)
YukonModerate (3 of 5)
Northwest TerritoriesLimited (2 of 5)
NunavutGood (4 of 5)

Wages in every province and territory

Tools and tables

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