The trade
What a crane operator does.
Crane operators run and manoeuvre different types of cranes (crawler, tower, overhead, gantry, self-propelled on rail or truck) to lift, move, and position materials, equipment, and heavy structures on job sites. They also operate overhead cranes, drill rigs, and pile-driving equipment, and can run concrete pumps fitted with a placing boom.
CCQ rate
$42.18 – $48.45/h (journeyperson, depending on sector and class, May 2025)
Crane operator rates are set by Quebec construction industry collective agreements and vary by sector (residential, institutional-commercial, industrial, civil engineering and roads) and crane operator class. Check the official current CCQ grid: ccq.org/salaire.
Why it's tight
The pool is thin. Speed makes the difference.
In 2024, 2,031 crane operators were active on Quebec job sites, including 1,702 journeypersons with an average age of 45.9 — 21% of the workforce is 55 or older. That demographic profile points to a predictable wave of retirements. Only 101 new apprentices were admitted in 2024, up from the 2020-2023 average of 66 per year, but not enough to offset departures. The CCQ projects recruitment needs of 17,000 people per year across the construction industry for 2024-2028, up 1,000 from the prior period. The CCQ rates job prospects for crane operators as excellent. Major infrastructure projects (energy, transportation, institutional) keep demand steady across civil engineering, industrial, and institutional-commercial.
That's exactly where Aplomb wins: Audrey activates candidates in under 2 minutes, 24/7. While others call back the next day, your crane operator is already talking to us.
What we check
Before it lands on your desk.
- Valid CCQ competency certificate (apprentice or journeyperson)
- DEP in Crane Operation (5248), or completion of a company training plan (PFE) with a passed integration exam
- Solid grasp of different crane types and the ability to read load charts and lift plans
- ASP Construction health and safety card (general construction site health and safety training)
- Comfortable working at height, good physical condition, no vertigo, dexterity, and independence operating heavy equipment
Competency card
How a crane operator qualifies.
Crane operators need a CCQ competency card to work on sites governed by the R-20 Act. The main path is the DEP in Crane Operation (program 5248, 870 hours, offered in Montérégie), which grants the apprentice competency certificate (CCA) with a 150-hour job guarantee over 3 consecutive months. The apprentice must complete two apprenticeship periods of 2,000 hours each (4,000 hours total), then pass the provincial qualification exam to earn the journeyperson competency certificate (CCC). An alternate path exists for those without the DEP through a company training plan (PFE), including 120 hours of theoretical-practical training in safe lifting and 150 supervised hours, followed by an integration exam (52 questions, 80% pass threshold, no retakes). The apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio is 1:1 across all sectors; crane operators are excluded from any provision allowing 2 apprentices per journeyperson.
Frequently asked questions
Hiring a crane operator, plainly.
What apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio applies to crane operators on my sites?
The ratio is 1 apprentice per journeyperson, across all sectors (residential, institutional-commercial, industrial, civil engineering and roads). Crane operators are specifically excluded from the provision allowing 2 apprentices per journeyperson, unlike several other construction trades.
Can a crane operator from another province work on my sites in Quebec?
To work on a site governed by the R-20 Act in Quebec, a worker needs a valid CCQ competency card. A worker from another province has to go through the CCQ's training and experience recognition process, which can include an exam. It's not automatic — contact the CCQ for the specific steps.
Where do I find crane operators to recruit in Quebec?
In 2024, 315 companies were recruiting crane operators in Quebec against just 2,031 active workers — a tight pool. The most effective moves: post directly on the CCQ's workforce dashboard (releve.ccq.org), reach out to vocational schools offering the DEP in Crane Operation, and work with a construction-focused recruiting agency that knows the available pool of journeypersons.
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Also by region
crane operators in your area.
We recruit across Québec. See the candidate job pages by region for this trade.