Red Seal Program, specifically known as The Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program, is a program that sets common standards for tradespeople in Canada. It is a partnership between the Canadian federal government, the provinces and the territories. The Red Seal program is under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) It was created in 1959 as a result of the first National Conference on Apprenticeship in Trades and Industries, held in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

in 1952. Not all provinces/territories participate in all the Red Seal trades. There are 54 trades currently recognized in the Red Seal program. They include

auto mechanic An auto mechanic is a mechanic who services and repairs automobiles, sometimes specializing in one or more List of car brands, automobile brands or sometimes working with any brand. In fixing cars, their main role is to Diagnosis, diagnose and ...

carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...

, cook, electrician, heavy equipment operator, ironworker, machinist, millwright,

pipefitter A pipefitter or steamfitter is a tradesman who installs, assembles, fabricates, maintains, and repairs mechanical piping systems. Pipefitters usually begin as helpers or apprentices. Journeyman pipefitters deal with industrial/commercial/marine ...

plumber A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable (drinking) water, hot-water production, sewage and drainage in plumbing systems.

, roofer, tool and die maker, and welder.

Operations

When tradespersons complete their

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

s and pass the Red Seal examination they receive a Red Seal Endorsement ("RSE") on their provincial/territorial trade certificate, usually called a "Certificate of Qualification". Chapter 7 of the ''Canada Free Trade Agreement'' (formerly the ''Agreement on Internal Trade)'' generally requires provincial and territorial governments to recognize individuals who hold certain trade certificates issued by a

Canadian province Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Constitution of Canada, Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North Amer ...

or territory as having met the requirements to practice their occupation elsewhere in Canada. Provinces and territories are responsible for administering apprenticeship training and trade certification in their respective jurisdictions, including the administration of the Red Seal Program. Each province and territory administers and regulates apprenticeship and certification under their own legislation: *

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

's program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Act'' * Nova Scotia's program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship and Trades Qualification Act'' * Newfoundland's program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship and Certification Act'' *

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

's program is regulated by the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act * Quebec's program is regulated by the Manpower Vocational Training and Qualification Act * Ontario 's program is regulated by the ''Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act.'' * Manitoba's program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship and Certification Act.'' *

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

's program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act'' * Alberta's program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act'' *

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

's program is regulated by the ''Industry Training Authority Act'' *

Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' and the Nunavut Land Claims Agr ...

's program is regulated by the ''Trade and Occupations Certification Act'' * The Yukon Territories' program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship Training Act'' * The Northwest Territories' program is regulated by the ''Apprenticeship, Trade, and Occupation Certification Act'' Most provinces and territories use the Red Seal examination as the final certification exam in designated Red Seal trades. Many employers only hire persons with this qualification to avoid varying standards among the provinces.

References

External links

Red Seal Program official site
{{Skilled Trades in Canada , state=expanded Professional titles and certifications Standards of Canada Vocational education in Canada