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Quick answer: Ontario’s electrician trade is called Electrician – Construction and Maintenance. The apprenticeship totals 9,000 hours: 7,950 on the job and 1,050 hours of technical training over 28 weeks, according to the Ellis Chart. It is a compulsory trade with a 1:1 journeyperson ratio, and it ends with a written certification exam; Ontario also offers the Red Seal endorsement.
Ontario training at a glance
| Item | Ontario | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trade title | Electrician – Construction and Maintenance | Red Seal |
| Total hours | 9,000 | Ellis Chart |
| On-the-job hours | 7,950 | Ellis Chart |
| Technical training | 1,050 hours, 28 weeks | Ellis Chart |
| Journeyperson ratio | 1:1 | Ellis Chart |
| Status | Compulsory | Ellis Chart |
| Trade qualifier route | Yes, after 9,000 hours | Ellis Chart |
| Median wage, electricians in Ontario | C$34.00 an hour | Job Bank |
Steps to train as an electrician in Ontario
- Find an Ontario employer who will register you; the 1:1 ratio means each apprentice needs a journeyperson.
- Register as an apprentice with Ontario’s apprenticeship authority.
- Log the 7,950 on-the-job hours.
- Complete the 1,050 hours of in-school technical training.
- Write the certification exam the authority assigns; the Red Seal exam for this trade is 100 questions in four hours with a 70 percent pass mark.
Practice for the Red Seal electrician exam
This page covers the route into the trade. For the exam itself, our main page is the Canada electrician exam guide: the Red Seal Construction Electrician exam format, the Quebec CCQ route, the wiring code and the official links in one place.
Try the free Canada electrician practice test in your browser. The questions are original and follow the Red Seal Construction Electrician exam breakdown and the Canadian Electrical Code; Quebec’s CCQ exam is not covered yet. The one-time Canada exam pack unlocks every Canada question and a printable PDF version, with no subscription.
FAQ
How long is electrician training in Ontario?
9,000 hours in total, more than the 7,200 hours used in most other provinces. At about 1,800 to 2,000 working hours a year, that is roughly four and a half to five years.
Does Ontario use written level exams?
The Ellis Chart lists no written level exams for Ontario, but a written certification exam is required at the end.
Can I challenge the exam with experience from elsewhere?
Ontario offers a trade qualifier route after 9,000 hours of trade experience. The authority decides whether your experience covers the trade.
Sources
- Ellis Chart: Construction Electrician
- Red Seal: Construction Electrician
- Red Seal: Construction Electrician exam information
- Job Bank: Electrician wages in Canada, NOC 72200
Page updated: 2026-09-30. Figures were read from the linked official pages on 2026-09-30.
About the author: Engineer Tsai moved from an office job into electrical and MEP field work in Taiwan and holds Taiwanese indoor wiring and water piping technician certificates. Engineer Tsai has not completed a Canadian apprenticeship or held a Canadian certificate, so every Canadian rule on this page links to its official source.
