HVAC-R mechanics, formally heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, install, maintain, repair, and overhaul commercial and industrial refrigeration and air conditioning systems, residential central air conditioning, and combined heating, ventilation, and cooling systems. They work for HVAC-R contractors, in industrial settings, for food wholesalers, and in servicing establishments, and the work includes transport refrigeration on refrigerated trucks and trailers. The commercial and industrial refrigeration side, supermarkets, cold storage, food processing, and walk-ins, is the year-round, high-value core of the trade.
How the official figures are classified
These roles are classified under NOC 72402, Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics. About 63 percent of workers in this group work year-round, with the commercial and industrial refrigeration side the most consistently year-round, because cold-chain, food, and healthcare refrigeration do not pause seasonally. Residential HVAC carries more seasonal variation.
The official wage band
These are hourly low-to-high bands, not annual tiers. The national median is $37.50 per hour.
| Region | Hourly low to high |
|---|---|
| Canada (national) | $22.00 to $56.00 |
| Ontario | $21.00 to $58.00 |
| British Columbia | $24.23 to $62.00 |
Full provincial detail is on the pay by province page.
What moves pay
- Commercial and industrial refrigeration, the highest-value and most year-round work
- Ammonia and CO2 systems on industrial and cold-storage sites
- Supermarket racks, cold-chain, food-processing, and healthcare refrigeration
- Transport refrigeration and large rooftop and chiller HVAC
- On call and emergency service rotations, where most overtime sits
- Red Seal endorsement, which travels across provinces
The apprenticeship and certification path
The typical path is a three- to five-year apprenticeship, or over five years of work experience plus industry courses, leading to trade certification. This is a strongly certified trade: trade certification for refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics is compulsory in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, meaning you must be certified or a registered apprentice to do the work there. It is available but voluntary in the remaining provinces and territories. A Red Seal endorsement is available to qualified mechanics and enables interprovincial mobility.
Certification is genuinely required across most of the country for this trade. In seven provinces you cannot do the work without it, and the Red Seal endorsement is what lets a certified mechanic move between provinces.
Sources: Job Bank Canada wage data (NOC 72402, updated November 19, 2025), Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, and the Red Seal program.
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