Oil sands, manufacturing, automation, LNG — Job Bank puts the Canada median for industrial electricians at $42.00/hr, above construction electricians ($35.00) and below power system electricians ($46.55) (wages updated November 2025).
For industrial electricians (NOC 72201), Job Bank puts the Canada median at $42.00/hr, compared with $35.00/hr for electricians in NOC 72200 (which includes construction electricians) and $46.55/hr for power system electricians (2023–2024 data, wages updated November 2025). This guide sets out Job Bank's figures by province and region and describes the industries that employ industrial electricians.
Most pay figures on this page are Government of Canada Job Bank data for everyone working in the occupation, not only certified tradespeople. The 442A exam is 100 questions in 4 hours and the pass mark is 70%, which is 70 correct.
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| Area (Job Bank, NOC 72201, wages updated November 2025) | Hourly low – high (median) | Annual at 2,000 hours (median) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | $28.00–54.00/hr ($42.00) | $84,000 |
| Saskatchewan | $38.00–57.78/hr ($49.00) | $98,000 |
| British Columbia | $35.90–54.95/hr ($45.00) | $90,000 |
| Alberta | $25.00–68.00/hr ($44.00) | $88,000 |
| Quebec | $24.80–48.00/hr ($43.00) | $86,000 |
| Ontario | $29.00–48.00/hr ($40.50) | $81,000 |
Annual figures multiply the Job Bank median by 2,000 working hours.
Alberta has the highest provincial upper pay figure for industrial electricians in Canada (Job Bank high $68.00/hr, wages updated November 2025), although Saskatchewan ($49.00/hr) and British Columbia ($45.00/hr) have higher medians than Alberta ($44.00/hr). Job Bank lists oil and gas extraction (23%) as the second-largest sector for industrial electricians in Alberta, after construction (28%). Direct-hire maintenance industrial electricians at major oil sands operators are paid on each operator's own wage scale or collective agreement; benefits, pension and RRSP matching vary by employer. Pay and allowances for turnaround (shutdown maintenance) work through maintenance contractors depend on the employer and agreement; Job Bank's Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake region (Fort McMurray area) range for industrial electricians is $26.95–$63.09/hr, median $48.00 (wages updated November 2025). The Alberta Industrial Heartland (Strathcona County, Fort Saskatchewan) chemical and refining complex is in the Edmonton area; Job Bank's Edmonton Region range for industrial electricians is $25.00–$68.00/hr, median $44.00 (wages updated November 2025). In Edmonton and Calgary, where general manufacturing also employs industrial electricians, Job Bank's regional median is $44.00/hr in both (Calgary Region range $34.00–$62.00/hr, wages updated November 2025) — slightly above the $42.00/hr Canada median.
Job Bank lists construction (22%), wood product manufacturing (12%) and mining and quarrying (12%) as the largest sectors for industrial electricians in British Columbia. Its British Columbia high for industrial electricians is $54.95/hr (wages updated November 2025); allowances on remote rotations, such as at the Kitimat-area LNG Canada facility, depend on the employer and agreement. Mining operations in the BC Interior (copper, gold, silver) employ site maintenance industrial electricians, and remote mine sites may provide accommodation; Job Bank's industrial electrician medians in Interior regions include $47.92/hr in the Cariboo Region, $46.00/hr in the Thompson–Okanagan Region and $45.81/hr in the Kootenay Region (wages updated November 2025). Metro Vancouver manufacturing also employs industrial electricians; Job Bank's Lower Mainland–Southwest range for industrial electricians is $28.00–$53.00/hr, median $46.50 (wages updated November 2025). Pulp and paper mills (Canfor, West Fraser, Paper Excellence) employ mill maintenance industrial electricians. BC Hydro and FortisBC facilities also employ electricians; for comparison, Job Bank's British Columbia median for power system electricians (NOC 72202) is $50.99/hr (wages updated November 2025).
In Ontario, Job Bank lists motor vehicle, body, trailer and parts manufacturing as the largest sector for industrial electricians (34%), ahead of construction (13%); employers include automotive manufacturing (GM Oshawa, Ford Oakville, Stellantis Windsor, Honda Alliston) and its suppliers. Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing in Sarnia, the GTA, and southwestern Ontario also employs process-industrial electricians. Job Bank's Ontario range for industrial electricians is $29.00–$48.00/hr, median $40.50 (wages updated November 2025). Steel mills such as ArcelorMittal Dofasco in Hamilton and Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie also employ journeyperson industrial electricians. Job Bank says weak business conditions in manufacturing, including automotive and steel production, may constrain prospects over 2025–2027.
Employers of Saskatchewan industrial electricians include the potash mining sector (Nutrien, Mosaic), uranium mining (Cameco, Orano), and oil production (Whitecap). Potash mine industrial electricians are paid on each operator's wage scale or collective agreement; benefits and pension vary by employer. Uranium mine positions in northern Saskatchewan (McClean Lake, McArthur River area) involve fly-in/fly-out rotations; Job Bank's Saskatchewan range for industrial electricians is $38.00–$57.78/hr, median $49.00 (wages updated November 2025). General manufacturing also employs industrial electricians in Regina and Saskatoon; Job Bank's Regina–Moose Mountain range is $40.87–$60.00/hr, median $44.00, and its Saskatoon–Biggar range is $38.00–$57.78/hr, median $49.00 (wages updated November 2025).
Oil and gas work — both upstream (production) and downstream (refining, petrochemicals) — can involve remote locations (Fort McMurray, Peace River country, Kitimat), continuous 24/7 operations that require shift coverage, hazardous area electrical requirements (Class I, Zone 0/1/2 classified area work under CEC Section 18 and IEC 60079 series) and high-consequence equipment (motors driving pumps, compressors and fans). Job Bank does not publish industrial electricians' wages by industry.
Job Bank's Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake region (Fort McMurray area) range for industrial electricians is $26.95–$63.09/hr, median $48.00 (wages updated November 2025).
Manufacturing industrial electricians' pay depends on location and employer; Job Bank's Canada range for industrial electricians is $28.00–$54.00/hr, median $42.00 (wages updated November 2025). Job Bank does not publish a premium for PLC or automation skills. Automotive plants that have converted to robotic assembly lines need industrial electricians who can diagnose and maintain not just motors and drives but also robotic arms (Fanuc, KUKA, ABB), vision systems, and complex PLC/SCADA networks. For reference, Job Bank's Ontario range for industrial electricians is $29.00–$48.00/hr, median $40.50 (wages updated November 2025).
Electrical utility industrial electricians work on power generation equipment, substations and distribution infrastructure; for comparison, Job Bank's Canada median for power system electricians (NOC 72202) is $46.55/hr (range $36.26–$60.00, wages updated November 2025). BC Hydro, Ontario Power Generation, Hydro-Québec (indirectly via contractors), and TransAlta employ industrial electricians for maintenance, testing, and commissioning of power generation and transmission equipment. Work includes high-voltage switching, transformer maintenance, generator maintenance, protective relay testing, and switchgear inspection.
Job Bank lists wood product manufacturing (12%) and paper manufacturing (8%) among the largest sectors for industrial electricians in British Columbia; its industrial electrician medians are $45.00/hr in British Columbia and $40.50/hr in Ontario (wages updated November 2025). Mill work involves large AC and DC drives, high-voltage motors on chip refiners and paper machines, complex DCS (Distributed Control System) networks, and extensive process instrumentation.
| Skill/Qualification | Effect on pay |
|---|---|
| PLC programming (Rockwell, Siemens) | Can raise pay; amount set by employer or agreement |
| High voltage switching certificate | Can raise pay; amount set by employer or agreement |
| VFD specialist / drive commissioning | Can raise pay; amount set by employer or agreement |
| Instrumentation / 4–20mA loop tech | Can raise pay; amount set by employer or agreement |
| Hazardous area (Class I/Zone) qualified | Can raise pay; amount set by employer or agreement |
| Rotating shifts (nights, weekends) | Shift premium set by employer or agreement |
| Remote site work (camp + per diem) | Camp and per diem set by employer or agreement |
| Automation integration (contractor rate) | Contract rate negotiated with the client |
| IBEW Local | Province/Region | Journeyperson rate |
|---|---|---|
| IBEW Local 424 | AB (Edmonton) | Set in the local's current collective agreement |
| IBEW Local 213 | BC (Vancouver) | Set in the local's current collective agreement |
| IBEW Local 353 | ON (Toronto) | Set in the local's current collective agreement |
| IBEW Local 529 | SK (Saskatoon) | Set in the local's current collective agreement |
| IBEW Local 2085 | MB (Winnipeg) | Set in the local's current collective agreement |
IBEW collective agreements set wage rates and can include employer contributions to benefit and pension funds; the amounts vary by local and agreement.
A strategic career path for a 442A Industrial Electrician in Canada:
LNG facility electrical work can involve cryogenic-rated equipment, classified area wiring in flammable gas environments, high-voltage switchgear for compressor drives, and extensive instrumentation and safety system integration. Job Bank does not publish industrial electricians' wages by project or industry; its British Columbia range for industrial electricians is $35.90–$54.95/hr, median $45.00 (wages updated November 2025).
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Start 442A Practice →Job Bank lists industrial electricians (NOC 72201) in Canada at a median of $42.00/hr, with a low of $28.00/hr and a high of $54.00/hr (2023–2024 data, wages updated November 2025). Provincial medians are $49.00/hr in Saskatchewan, $45.00/hr in British Columbia, $44.00/hr in Alberta and $40.50/hr in Ontario; Alberta has the widest provincial range ($25.00–$68.00/hr). These figures cover the whole occupation, apprentices included, and do not separate certified from non-certified workers.
Job Bank does not publish a premium for PLC skills: its wages for industrial electricians (NOC 72201) cover the whole occupation, apprentices included, by region only — $28.00–$54.00/hr nationally, median $42.00 (wages updated November 2025) — so any premium depends on the employer and role. PLCs are part of the trade itself: Red Seal's 442A exam gives 6 of its 100 questions to installing, programming and maintaining automated control systems.
On Job Bank's figures (2023–2024 data, wages updated November 2025), industrial electricians (NOC 72201, Canada median $42.00/hr) earn more at the median than electricians in NOC 72200, which includes construction electricians (Canada median $35.00/hr), in every province; Job Bank publishes no NOC 72201 wage for the territories. Power system electricians (NOC 72202) have a higher Canada median, $46.55/hr. The provincial median gap is widest in New Brunswick ($42.00 vs $28.00/hr) and Newfoundland and Labrador ($43.26 vs $31.00/hr), followed by Saskatchewan ($49.00 vs $37.50/hr) and British Columbia ($45.00 vs $34.00/hr), and narrowest in Quebec ($43.00 vs $41.30/hr) and Manitoba ($40.50 vs $35.00/hr).
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