One of the highest-paid trades in Canada — industrial pipefitters design, install, and maintain high-pressure piping systems in refineries, power plants, petrochemical facilities, and mines.
High
Moderate-High (geometry, codes, P&IDs)
Refineries, power plants, mines, petrochemical facilities — mostly outdoor/industrial
Very common — 12-hour shifts in industrial
High — camp work and turnarounds are lucrative
Moderate-High (high-pressure systems, heights, hot work)
Installing carbon steel and alloy piping systems for crude oil, natural gas, and refined products. Reading and working from P&ID (piping and instrumentation) drawings. Calculating pipe offsets and fabricating field welds and fittings.
Installing expansion loops and pipe supports per engineering specs. Pressure testing completed systems (hydrostatic and pneumatic testing). Working alongside boilermakers and welders during plant turnarounds. H2S certification required.
Installing steam, feedwater, and cooling water piping in power plants. Working with carbon steel, stainless, and chrome-moly piping for high-temperature service. Installing expansion joints, hangers, and spring supports.
Performing non-destructive examination (NDE) documentation and weld tracking. Pressure testing and commissioning new piping systems. Maintaining and repairing existing systems during planned outages.
Installing process piping for slurry, reagents, compressed air, and water systems. Working in underground mines and surface mill facilities. Installing large-diameter HDPE and steel piping for tailings and water management.
Supporting millwrights and electricians during equipment installation. Maintaining piping systems in harsh, wet, and abrasive environments. Performing emergency repairs on critical mine production systems.
The highest-paid pipefitting work. Turnarounds = serious money.
Steam and feedwater systems in generation facilities.
Northern Alberta and BC camps — top wages + room and board.
Fire suppression systems in commercial/industrial buildings.
Shipyards and offshore — specialized and well compensated.
Managing large industrial piping crews on major projects.
Basic fitting, cutting, threading, pipe supports. Trade school covers safety and piping fundamentals. ~$24–$28/hr
Piping systems, P&ID reading, offset calculations, pressure testing. ~$32–$40/hr
Near-independent on complex piping. Studying for 227A Red Seal. ~$42–$48/hr
Red Seal certified. Full mobility across Canada. $44–$62/hr
Manage industrial piping crews. Critical role on major construction projects. $58–$75/hr
Senior field leadership or quality control. $80k–$130k/yr
Mandatory — Day One. Hazard identification and safe chemical handling.
Recommended. Essential emergency response certification.
Mandatory — all oil & gas sites in Canada. Hydrogen sulfide hazard recognition and response.
Mandatory. Fall protection and height work safety.
Mandatory for industrial work. Safe entry and rescue procedures.
Highly recommended — pipefitters handle heavy spools regularly.
Offsets, rolling offsets, trigonometry for pipe fitting — the most tested subject.
ASME B31.1 power piping, B31.3 process piping — Red Seal essential.
Piping and instrumentation diagrams, isometric drawings, line lists.
Carbon steel, stainless, chrome-moly, HDPE — selection and joining methods.
Pipefitters don't weld but must understand weld types, symbols, and QC.
Flow, pressure, temperature, steam properties — essential for commissioning.
Read the Study Guide for a focused summary of everything tested on your exams, then lock in your knowledge with timed Practice Exams by apprenticeship year.