72300 – Plumbers
Lead statement
Plumbers install, repair and maintain pipes, fixtures and other plumbing equipment used for water distribution and waste water disposal in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
- Read blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine layout of plumbing system, water supply network and waste and drainage systems
- Install, repair and maintain domestic, commercial or industrial plumbing fixtures and systems
- Locate and mark positions for pipe connections, passage holes and fixtures in walls and floors
- Cut opening in walls and floors to accommodate pipe and pipe fittings
- Measure, cut, bend and thread pipes using hand and power tools or machines
- Join pipes using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement or soldering, brazing and welding equipment
- Test pipes for leaks using air and water pressure gauges
- May prepare cost estimates.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a four- to five-year apprenticeship program ora combination of over five years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in plumbing is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification is compulsory in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified plumbers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Example job titles
plumber apprentice · apprentice plumber · journeyman/woman plumber · maintenance and repair plumber · maintenance plumber · marine plumber · plumber · plumber - pipefitting · residential construction plumber · plumbing installer · plumbing mechanic · radiator plumber · maintenance and repair plumber (non-construction) · plumbing heat technician - Canadian armed forces
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $21.00 | $34.00 | $46.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $18.50 | $27.50 | $36.03 |
| Nova Scotia | $18.00 | $33.00 | $38.38 |
| New Brunswick | $16.50 | $26.00 | $34.00 |
| Quebec | $24.50 | $40.00 | $45.00 |
| Ontario | $20.00 | $32.50 | $50.38 |
| Manitoba | $21.00 | $30.11 | $43.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $22.00 | $35.00 | $43.00 |
| Alberta | $20.00 | $30.00 | $43.00 |
| British Columbia | $23.00 | $32.00 | $48.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.