Seven British Columbia trades now require you to hold a ticket or be a registered apprentice. LNG Canada approved its Phase 2 expansion in late September 2026, and crews are building two SkyTrain extensions in Metro Vancouver. If you work in the skilled trades in BC, or you hire for them, the rules and the demand have both changed in the last three years. This guide sets out the current rules, gives wage figures with their sources, names the projects and union locals that matter, and lists the incentive programs you can apply for now.
Key facts
- SkilledTradesBC is the Crown agency that runs apprenticeship and certification in BC. Until December 2022 it was the Industry Training Authority (ITA).
- Skilled Trades Certification has applied since December 1, 2023 to seven electrical and mechanical trades. Three automotive trades were announced for a later phase.
- In those seven trades, a crew can have no more than two apprentices for every certified journeyperson.
- Job Bank's prevailing-wage data (updated November 19, 2025) gives a BC median of $34.00 an hour for construction electricians. The North Coast median is $37.93.
- LNG Canada says Phase 2 could employ up to 4,000 construction workers in Kitimat at peak, plus about 2,100 more building Coastal GasLink compressor stations.
How the BC Trades System Is Organized
From ITA to SkilledTradesBC
In late 2022 the province passed the Skilled Trades BC Act, which replaced the Industry Training Authority Act and renamed the ITA as SkilledTradesBC. The agency registers apprentices and their sponsors, tracks work-based hours, sets technical training standards, runs certification exams and issues Certificates of Qualification. Since the name change it has also enforced compulsory certification. BC had been the only province without compulsory trades.
All of this goes through the SkilledTradesBC Portal. That is where you log hours, apply to challenge an exam, book exams and check application status. If you trained under the ITA and have never set up a Portal account, do that first.
Red Seal and provincial certificates
Most large BC trades are Red Seal trades, so a BC Certificate of Qualification can carry an interprovincial endorsement that other provinces recognize. One recent change: from January 1, 2025, Gasfitter Class B became a Red Seal trade certified by SkilledTradesBC. A new Class B gasfitter now needs that certificate plus a Technical Safety BC certificate, which requires passing its Act, Regulations and Directives exam. Technical Safety BC still runs the separate Field Safety Representative certification for electrical contractors.
What SkilledTradesBC does not do
SkilledTradesBC sets credentials. It does not place workers. You find the job through a union dispatch, a contractor's careers page, an open-shop association or a job board.
Skilled Trades Certification: Seven Trades in Force
The designated trades
The province first announced 10 trades in three groups. The seven electrical and mechanical trades took effect on December 1, 2023:
- Construction Electrician
- Industrial Electrician
- Powerline Technician
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic
- Gasfitter Class A and Class B
- Steamfitter/Pipefitter
- Sheet Metal Worker
The other three are automotive trades: automotive service technician, auto body and collision technician, and automotive refinishing technician. They were scheduled for a later phase. Before you plan training or hiring around them, check the current timing on the SkilledTradesBC compulsory trades page. Plumber, welder, carpenter and heavy equipment operator are not on the compulsory list, but certification is still the standard in those trades for union work and most industrial work.
Rules for workers and employers
Anyone doing work within the scope of a designated trade must be one of the following:
- a certified journeyperson
- a registered apprentice with an employer sponsor
- a Trade Qualifier or Uncertified Experienced Worker with a valid Temporary Authorization
Employers must keep apprentice supervision at or below 2:1. Workers with a Temporary Authorization do not count toward that ratio. SkilledTradesBC asks every employer in these trades to complete an Employer Workforce Submission on the Portal. Its Certification Advisors monitor compliance, and an employer that falls short is put on a Remediation Action Plan rather than penalized immediately.
If you have experience but no ticket
There are two routes. If you have less than about a year in the trade, register as an apprentice with a sponsor. If you have years of experience, apply as a Trade Qualifier to challenge the certification exam. The Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre describes the bar for its trade as more than five years and 9,000 verifiable hours. Requirements vary by trade, so check the profile for your trade. SkilledTradesBC lists refresher-course referrals, tutoring and exam accommodations among its supports. Several training providers run Red Seal exam prep courses as well.
Where BC Trades Demand Is in Late 2026
LNG Canada Phase 2 and the north coast
LNG Canada's first phase in Kitimat started operating in mid-2025 and had delivered 50 cargoes by February 2026. Its partners announced a final investment decision on Phase 2 at the end of September 2026. The company expects up to 4,000 construction workers in Kitimat at peak and about 2,100 on new Coastal GasLink compressor stations. The heaviest need will be for pipefitters, welders, electricians, instrumentation technicians, ironworkers, boilermakers and heavy equipment operators. Phase 1 also needs a steady operations and maintenance workforce: industrial electricians, millwrights and instrument technicians.
Other LNG projects are hiring nearby. Cedar LNG is a floating facility near Kitimat owned by the Haisla Nation and Pembina. It expected peak construction in 2026, with service in late 2028. Woodfibre LNG in Squamish, built by McDermott, is targeting 2027. Ksi Lisims LNG on Pearse Island received provincial environmental approval in September 2025. North coast work usually means camp rotations, so make your availability clear when you apply.
SkyTrain construction in Metro Vancouver
The Broadway Subway is a 5.7 km Millennium Line extension built by the Acciona-Ghella joint venture. Track installation finished in September 2026, and the line is due to open in fall 2027. The remaining work is systems, electrical and station finishing, followed by maintenance hiring. The Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension is earlier in the build. Guideway pile driving in Langley continues into early 2027, trackwork started in April 2026, and opening is planned for late 2029. Formwork carpenters, rebar workers, crane and equipment operators, and construction electricians will be needed there for several more years.
Other projects
Site C is complete, so its construction crews have mostly demobilized. The Trans Mountain expansion has been running since May 2024, and its terminals and pump stations now need operations and maintenance trades rather than construction crews. Federal officials have named BC Hydro's proposed North Coast Transmission Line a national-interest project, alongside LNG Canada Phase 2 and Ksi Lisims, so watch it for powerline technician and civil work.
What BC Trades Pay
Electricians by region
Job Bank's prevailing-wage tables for construction electricians (NOC 72200), updated November 19, 2025, show these BC figures:
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $20.00 | $34.00 | $47.49 |
| Lower Mainland-Southwest | $21.82 | $34.57 | $47.69 |
| Vancouver Island and Coast | $21.60 | $33.28 | $44.42 |
| Thompson-Okanagan | $22.69 | $34.94 | $46.13 |
| North Coast | $26.57 | $37.93 | $54.53 |
| Northeast | $27.12 | $38.12 | $54.23 |
The provincial figures come from the Labour Force Survey for 2023-2024. The regional figures are Statistics Canada small-area estimates for 2024. The north pays more than the Lower Mainland, which reflects remote and resource-sector work.
Other trades
Job Bank's British Columbia construction sector profile gives a median of $30.25 an hour for carpenters, with experienced carpenters earning up to $40.89. It puts experienced steamfitters and pipefitters at up to $53.65. The profile cites BuildForce Canada's April 2025 forecast, which rated electricians as high demand and carpenters as at risk of shortage.
What the averages leave out
These numbers combine union and non-union work and every career stage. They do not include living-out allowances, camp board, overtime on rotations, or union pension and benefit contributions, all of which can matter more than the base rate on a resource job. Read them as a starting point for negotiation, not as an offer.
Ways Into BC Trade Work
Building trades union locals
Much of the large industrial and transit work in BC is staffed through union halls. The main locals include:
- IBEW Local 213 (electrical, Lower Mainland and coast)
- IBEW Local 993 (electrical, Interior)
- UA Local 170 (plumbers, pipefitters and welders, mainland BC)
- UA Local 324 (plumbers and pipefitters, Vancouver Island)
- Sheet Metal Workers Local 280
- Boilermakers Lodge 359
- Ironworkers Local 97
- IUOE Local 115 (operating engineers)
Most of them run their own apprenticeship intake and training centres. Joining usually means applying to the local directly and then getting on its dispatch list.
Open-shop and direct-hire routes
A large share of BC construction is open shop. The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) is the main employer group for that side, and CLAC represents workers on some projects. Project owners and their main contractors also post jobs directly. The LNG Canada, Cedar LNG and Ksi Lisims websites have job pages, and Ksi Lisims publishes a job-readiness information package.
SkilledTradeJobs.ca for job seekers and employers
SkilledTradeJobs.ca is a job board for Canadian trades only. It does not certify anyone or dispatch crews. Tradespeople can search BC openings and set up a profile through SkilledTradeJobs.ca for job seekers. Contractors, shops and industrial operators can post roles through SkilledTradeJobs.ca for employers.
If you post a job in a designated trade, state the credential you need, for example: "Construction Electrician, Red Seal, or registered apprentice level 3 or higher". Also give the rotation pattern, camp or living-out allowance, and the wage band. That way applicants check their own eligibility before they apply, and your posting shows you understand the 2:1 rule.
Apprenticeship Incentives Worth Claiming
For employers
- Build Canada Apprenticeship Service. Announced in 2026 for small and medium-sized employers. It pays up to $10,000 for hiring a first-year apprentice in an eligible Red Seal trade: $5,000 as the base amount and $10,000 when the apprentice is from an equity-deserving group. Federal announcements said it would launch in fall 2026. Before you budget around it, check intake status on the Employment and Social Development Canada apprenticeship pages.
- BC Training Tax Credit. This provincial credit covers employers who sponsor apprentices in SkilledTradesBC programs. It currently runs to December 31, 2027.
- Federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit. Claimed through your business tax return for eligible apprentice wages.
For apprentices
- Canada Apprentice Loan. An interest-free loan of up to $4,000 for each period of technical training in a Red Seal trade.
- BC Training Tax Credit for apprentices. Paid on completion of eligible program levels.
- Federal completion payment. The 2026 Spring Economic Update proposed a $5,000 payment for apprentices who complete certification. Treat it as pending until program details are published.
- Employment Insurance during technical training. Apprentices on full-time block release can usually claim EI while in school. Apply as soon as your training dates are confirmed.
FAQ
Is SkilledTradesBC the same as the ITA?
Yes. In December 2022 the Industry Training Authority became SkilledTradesBC under the Skilled Trades BC Act. ITA-era certificates, apprentice registrations and logged hours carried over.
Which trades are compulsory in BC right now?
Since December 1, 2023: construction electrician, industrial electrician, powerline technician, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, gasfitter Class A and B, steamfitter/pipefitter and sheet metal worker. Three automotive trades were announced for a later phase. Check SkilledTradesBC for their current status.
I have 10 years as an uncertified pipefitter. Can I keep working?
Only if you get certified, register as an apprentice, or hold a valid Temporary Authorization while you work toward the Trade Qualifier exam. Contact a SkilledTradesBC Certification Advisor through the Portal to find out which route fits your hours.
Where are the best-paying BC trades jobs?
In Job Bank's 2024 regional estimates for electricians, the North Coast and Northeast regions have the highest medians and top rates. Those are the areas with LNG, pipeline and resource work, and most of it is on rotation.
How long will LNG Canada Phase 2 keep hiring?
LNG Canada has not published a detailed hiring timeline. Large LNG builds usually run for several years, with the most construction hiring in the middle of the build. Follow LNG Canada's project updates for current information.
Does SkilledTradeJobs.ca only list BC jobs?
No. It covers trade jobs across Canada. You can filter to BC locations, and employers can post jobs in any province.
Next Steps
If you are a tradesperson, set up your SkilledTradesBC Portal account, confirm your status in any designated trade, and check what the Job Bank wage tables say for your region. If you are an employer, file your Employer Workforce Submission, check your apprentice ratio, and find out when the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service opens. Whether you are hiring or job hunting, SkilledTradeJobs.ca works for both. Employers can review pricing and post a job at SkilledTradeJobs.ca for employers. Job seekers can browse openings and create a profile at SkilledTradeJobs.ca for job seekers.