Plumbing Salary Canada: How Much Do Plumbers Earn in 2025?

When you think about plumbing, a skilled trade that installs, repairs, and maintains water, gas, and drainage systems in homes and buildings. Also known as pipefitting, it’s one of the most stable, hands-on careers in Canada—no degree needed, just training and grit. If you’re asking about plumbing salary Canada, you’re not alone. Thousands of people every year are switching from office jobs to trades because they want real pay, real work, and real control over their future.

Plumbers in Canada don’t just fix leaky faucets. They install full bathroom systems, connect sewage lines, work with heating units, and even handle gas lines for stoves and furnaces. The pay reflects that. Entry-level apprentices start around $20–$25 an hour. After 4–5 years, licensed journeymen make $35–$50 an hour. In cities like Toronto, Vancouver, or Calgary, top plumbers with their own trucks and client lists can clear $70–$90 an hour during peak season. That’s not just a job—it’s a business. And it’s growing. Canada’s aging infrastructure and housing boom mean plumbers are in short supply. Cities are offering signing bonuses just to get people into apprenticeships.

What drives the pay? Location matters. A plumber in northern Alberta makes more than one in rural Nova Scotia because of remote work premiums and housing demand. Certifications help too. If you’re trained in gas fitting, a specialized skill that lets you work on natural gas lines, boilers, and heating systems, you can add $10–$15 an hour to your rate. Same with green plumbing, installing water-saving fixtures, solar water heaters, and efficient drainage systems. These aren’t just buzzwords—they’re marketable skills that clients pay extra for.

You don’t need to be a math genius. You need to read blueprints, measure accurately, and use a level. Most of the math is done with apps or pre-marked pipes. The real skill is problem-solving—figuring out why water won’t flow, or why a pipe keeps freezing. That’s why apprenticeships work so well. You learn by doing, under someone who’s been there. And once you’re licensed, you’re not just working for a company—you can start your own, hire helpers, and build equity.

There’s no secret. Plumbing in Canada pays well because it’s necessary. People need clean water. They need working toilets. They need heat. And no matter how techy the world gets, you can’t automate a wrench. If you’re ready to trade screen time for sweat, and a paycheck for a future you can hold in your hands, this is your path. Below, you’ll find real stories, real numbers, and real advice from plumbers who made it work in Canada—no fluff, no guesswork, just what actually happens on the job.