CCQ wage
How much does arefrigeration mechanic earn in Québec?
$47.85 – $50.87 / hour (journeyperson, by sector, April 26, 2026)
Hourly rates are set by the collective agreements of Québec's construction industry and vary by sector: $47.85/h in light residential, $50.20/h in heavy residential, $50.79/h in institutional-commercial and industrial and $50.87/h in civil engineering and roads (journeyperson rate, effective April 26, 2026). Apprentices earn a percentage of that rate depending on their apprenticeship period. Official grids published by the ACQ (residential and institutional-commercial-industrial) and the ACRGTQ (civil engineering and roads).
The trade
Refrigeration mechanics install, retrofit, modify, repair, and maintain refrigeration and air conditioning systems on construction sites. They apply mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical principles, read plans and specs, and handle refrigerants under strict health and safety rules.
Competency card
How to become a CCQ-carded refrigeration mechanic.
Refrigeration mechanics must hold a CCQ competency certificate. The apprentice certificate (CCA) is issued after completing the DEP in Refrigeration (program 5386, French-language, or 5886, English-language) — a 1,800-hour vocational program — and presenting a job guarantee of at least 150 hours over 3 consecutive months with a CCQ-registered employer. The apprenticeship then covers 4 periods of 2,000 hours each (8,000 hours total), after which the apprentice can sit the provincial qualification exam (61 questions, 3 hours, 60% pass threshold) to earn the journeyperson certificate (CCC). The apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio is 1:1 in residential; in institutional-commercial, industrial, and civil engineering, the ratio on the books is 2 journeypersons per apprentice (a second apprentice is allowed if one of them is in their final apprenticeship period or is a woman).
Outlook
The refrigeration mechanic market, in 2025.
The CCQ rates job prospects for refrigeration mechanics as excellent: even though demand for the trade is stable, low labour availability and too few new graduates are driving worker shortages in the market. In 2024, 5,227 refrigeration mechanics were active on Quebec job sites and 888 companies were hiring — a competitive market. That same year, 467 new apprentices were admitted into the industry, above the 2020-2023 annual average of 386, but that's still worth watching against upcoming departures: the average journeyperson age is 42.2, and 15% are 55 or older. The institutional-commercial sector accounts for 85% of the work volume and is expected to stay strong in the coming years.
What it takes
The skills in demand.
- Valid CCQ competency certificate (apprentice or journeyperson) — mandatory to work on job sites governed by the R-20 Act
- ASP Construction card (general health and safety on job sites) — required to obtain the CCQ competency certificate
- Completed DEP in Refrigeration (5386, French-language, or 5886, English-language), 1,800 hours, or a CCQ-recognized equivalent
- Ability to read plans and specs and apply mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical principles, plus handle refrigerants safely
- Experience in the institutional-commercial sector, which accounts for 85% of hours worked by refrigeration mechanics in Quebec
Frequently asked questions
The refrigeration mechanic trade, plainly.
Do I need a DEP in Refrigeration to become a refrigeration mechanic?
It's the most common path: the DEP in Refrigeration (5386, French-language, or 5886, English-language), a 1,800-hour program, gets you the apprentice certificate (CCA) as soon as you present a job guarantee of at least 150 hours over 3 consecutive months with a CCQ-registered employer. Other entry paths exist too, including some available during your studies — check ccq.org/apprentissage to see which one applies to your situation. Once you've got your certificate, the market works in your favour: the CCQ rates job prospects for refrigeration mechanics as excellent. In 2024, 5,227 refrigeration mechanics were active and 888 companies were hiring, and 467 new apprentices were admitted into the industry — above the 386-per-year average for 2020-2023.
How long before I'm a journeyperson refrigeration mechanic at full rate?
You need to log 8,000 apprenticeship hours across 4 periods of 2,000 hours each, then pass the provincial qualification exam. Working full-time, that's roughly 4 to 5 years. Your rate climbs with each period during the apprenticeship: in light residential, for example, it goes from $23.93/h in period 1 to $40.67/h in period 4, before you reach the journeyperson rate of $47.85/h. The provincial qualification exam runs 3 hours, covers 61 questions, and requires a 60% pass threshold. Once you're a journeyperson, your rate varies by sector: $47.85/h in residential, $50.79/h in industrial, institutional-commercial, and $50.87/h in civil engineering and roads (April 26, 2026).
Which sector has the most work for refrigeration mechanics in Quebec?
Institutional-commercial accounts for 85% of the work volume for refrigeration mechanics in 2024 on its own — think refrigeration and air conditioning systems in hospitals, schools, stores, and office buildings. Residential follows with 9% of hours, industrial with 6%, and civil engineering and roads is practically nonexistent (0%). In practice, the vast majority of positions are in institutional-commercial, a sector the CCQ expects to stay strong in the coming years. Also worth knowing: the trade is fairly stationary compared to others — only 9% of refrigeration mechanics travel between regions for work, versus 16% on average across all construction trades.
Sector breakdown, regional mobility and apprenticeship progression figures are drawn from Commission de la construction du Québec data. Hourly rates: official grids published by the ACQ (residential, institutional-commercial and industrial) and the ACRGTQ (civil engineering and roads), in force since April 26, 2026. acq.org
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