Required certification · Canada
Skilled Trades Ontario
Ontario's agency for apprenticeship and skilled trades certification, which replaced the Ontario College of Trades
Market position
Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) is an agency of Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, established under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021, and responsible for apprenticeship and skilled trades certification in Ontario. It launched in 2022 as the replacement for the Ontario College of Trades. On April 2, 2025, STO took on statutory responsibility for registering training agreements, administering examinations and issuing Certificates of Apprenticeship; it also issues Certificates of Qualification, runs trade equivalency assessments and keeps a public register of certified tradespeople.
Canada-specific note
To work in one of Ontario's 23 compulsory trades, such as plumber, electrician or steamfitter, you must hold a valid Certificate of Qualification, Provisional Certificate of Qualification or Registered Training Agreement, and journeypersons renew their certificate each year. STO says it granted 20,832 Red Seal endorsed Certificates of Qualification from 2023 to 2026.
Pros
- + Public register lets anyone check a tradesperson's certification
- + Certifying exams delivered by STO at its headquarters and exam centres across Ontario
- + Apprentices 18 and over can register and manage their apprenticeship online through the STO Portal
- + Trade equivalency assessments for experienced workers without Ontario certification
Cons
- − Covers Ontario only
- − Journeypersons in compulsory trades pay an annual fee of $60 plus HST
- − A failed exam means a 30-day wait and paying the $150 plus HST fee again
- − Its responsibilities changed in April 2025, so older guidance on where to register may be out of date
Typical Canada pricing
Certifying exam $150 plus HST per attempt, paid on the STO Portal; after a failed exam there is a 30-day wait and the fee is paid again. Journeypersons in compulsory trades pay an annual Certificate of Qualification fee of $60 plus HST. Other fees, such as for trade equivalency assessments, were not confirmed.
Why this matters for Canada trades
Provinces and territories are responsible for apprenticeship training and trade certification; a Red Seal endorsement on a provincial or territorial certificate shows the holder passed the Red Seal exam but does not by itself certify anyone to carry on a trade. In Ontario, working in one of the 23 compulsory trades needs a valid Certificate of Qualification from Skilled Trades Ontario (or a provisional certificate or registered training agreement), only ESA-licensed contractors may do electrical work for hire, TSSA registers fuels contractors and certifies gas technicians, and WSIB says people who own or run a construction business must, with some exceptions, have WSIB coverage and register. The Canadian payroll tools listed here say they handle CRA remittances and Records of Employment; Quebec payroll adds Revenu Québec remittances, QPP, QPIP and RL-1 reporting, which not every tool covers.
Canadian trades vendor selection is shaped by provincial and territorial trade certification (with the interprovincial Red Seal endorsement), provincial safety regulators and workplace insurance boards such as Ontario’s ESA, TSSA and WSIB, CRA payroll remittances, GST, HST and PST (some provinces charge GST and PST separately), and separate Quebec payroll rules (Revenu Québec, QPP, QPIP). Several software vendors listed here publish prices in US dollars.
Frequently asked
Is Skilled Trades Ontario a good fit for Canada trades?
Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) is an agency of Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, established under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021, and responsible for apprenticeship and skilled trades certification in Ontario. It launched in 2022 as the replacement for the Ontario College of Trades. On April 2, 2025, STO took on statutory responsibility for registering training agreements, administering examinations and issuing Certificates of Apprenticeship; it also issues Certificates of Qualification, runs trade equivalency assessments and keeps a public register of certified tradespeople. To work in one of Ontario's 23 compulsory trades, such as plumber, electrician or steamfitter, you must hold a valid Certificate of Qualification, Provisional Certificate of Qualification or Registered Training Agreement, and journeypersons renew their certificate each year. STO says it granted 20,832 Red Seal endorsed Certificates of Qualification from 2023 to 2026.
What does Skilled Trades Ontario cost in Canada?
Certifying exam $150 plus HST per attempt, paid on the STO Portal; after a failed exam there is a 30-day wait and the fee is paid again. Journeypersons in compulsory trades pay an annual Certificate of Qualification fee of $60 plus HST. Other fees, such as for trade equivalency assessments, were not confirmed. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current Canada pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Other Canada vendors
Red Seal Program
Required certification
HRAI (Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada)
Required certification
TSSA (Technical Standards and Safety Authority)
Required certification
ESA / ECRA (Electrical Safety Authority, Ontario)
Required certification
WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Ontario)
Required certification
Jobber (Canadian-founded)
Software