Stationary engineer: pay in Quebec and Greater Montreal
A stationary engineer operates, monitors and maintains the boilers, refrigeration systems and ventilation of a building or plant. This is not a heavy equipment mechanic. In Greater Montreal, stationary engineers work in plants, hospitals, universities and commercial buildings. This page gives wages by region, the certificate classes, the shifts and the training.
- Quebec median
- $37.50/h
- Range
- $24.60 – $57/h
- Montreal
- $34.35/h
Guichet-Emplois (Job Bank), edition 2025 · CNP 92100
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Stationary engineer pay, region by region
| Region | Low | Median | High | vs Quebec | Offered in postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All of Quebec | $24.60 | $37.50 | $57 | — | — |
| Montérégie | $25.49 | $35.28 | $47.79 | −6% | — (2) |
| Montréal | $25.09 | $34.35 | $46.71 | −8% | $35 (11) |
| Laval | $26.50 | $35.52 | $46.28 | −5% | — (0) |
| Lanaudière | $27.31 | $37.42 | $53.64 | −0% | — (0) |
| Laurentides | $25.79 | $35.29 | $50.26 | −6% | — (1) |
The table covers NOC 92100, “Power engineers and power systems operators”. It counts the stationary engineer together with the electrical network operator, the nuclear reactor operator and the building systems operation technician, with no split by class. It excludes nuclear power plant equipment mechanics (72400) and utilities supervisors (92011).
Low, median and high wages published by Job Bank (NOC 92100), and pay offered in Greater Montreal job postings (6 months, February to August 2026); in brackets, the number of hourly postings — under ten, no median is shown.
Quebec median by file edition: 2023: $28.85/h · 2024: $35/h · 2025: $37.50/h.
What the job postings say
Of 14 postings on Job Bank in Greater Montreal (6 months, February to August 2026), 0% mention a night shift, 0% an evening shift and 0% weekends.
A stationary engineer’s shifts are not the employer’s preference: they follow from the supervision mode that Quebec’s Regulation respecting stationary enginemen (Règlement sur les mécaniciens de machines fixes) sets for the plant, based on its power, its types of equipment and its protective devices. Under continuous supervision, the engineer may not leave the machinery room or the control room without being relieved by a certified colleague: as long as the plant runs, someone is on duty, which creates a day, evening, night and weekend rotation. Under interrupted supervision, the engineer must be present at least half the time and may not be away for more than one hour in any two-hour period; the rest of the time goes to rounds and maintenance. Under periodic supervision, the engineer visits the plant every day, never more than 24 hours apart, and fills in a log countersigned at least once a week: one visit a day is enough, which allows a day schedule. The mode appears on the classification notice, which the regulation requires to be posted in the machinery room: it is the first thing to ask about before an interview.
What a stationary engineer does
- Monitor boilers, refrigeration systems, air compressors and ventilation systems from the stationary machinery room or the control room
- Start up, adjust and shut down boilers and refrigeration plants to match the building’s or the production line’s demand
- Read the instruments and keep the log the regulation requires: readings, abnormal conditions, actions taken, signature
- Test and treat boiler water and the fluids in heating and refrigeration systems
- Maintain pumps, turbines, fans, piping and fittings on steam, water and refrigerant circuits
- Check the electrical supply, the emergency equipment and the building’s fire protection system
- Work in the building automation software and the preventive maintenance software
- Track down the cause of a breakdown, correct it and make minor repairs, including simple brazing and welding
- Follow energy consumption and propose settings that improve the building’s energy efficiency
- Accompany the inspector and the apprentices, and report any faulty protective device to the chief engineer
Requirements, cards and certifications
- Quebec certificate of qualification in stationary engine mechanics, issued by the ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, in the class that matches the plant: the Stationary Enginemen Act forbids working without the required certificate
- Energy production category (classes 4 to 1) for boilers and turbines; refrigeration systems category (classes B and A) for refrigeration
- Certificate renewed every four years, its period of validity
- For apprentices: an apprentice card and work under the supervision of a holder of the appropriate class and category
- Reading building plans and piping and electrical control diagrams
- Comfort with building automation software and preventive maintenance software
- WHMIS training when the job involves hazardous products, such as water treatment chemicals
- Care in keeping the plant log, which the inspector may ask to see at any time
Training
The direct route is the DEP en mécanique de machines fixes (vocational diploma, program 5359), in the Building and Public Works sector: 1,800 hours, 120 credits, about seventeen months according to Inforoute FPT. The English version is called Stationary Engine Mechanics (5859). It covers boiler control, fluid treatment, starting and maintaining a refrigeration plant, ventilation and air conditioning, compressed air, pneumatic controls, electrical control circuits, fire protection, building automation software and managing a building’s energy efficiency. In the region, Inforoute FPT lists three schools: the CFP de Lachine (Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys) in Montreal, the CFP des Patriotes in Montérégie and the CFP des Moulins in Lanaudière. The certificate of qualification then comes through apprenticeship: a minimum number of supervised hours (1,000 hours for class 4 and class B), mandatory courses such as Laws, codes and regulations, Boiler operation and Thermodynamics for class 4, then a written multiple-choice exam with a 60% pass mark. According to Québec.ca, the ministry may shorten the apprenticeship, waive mandatory courses or issue the certificate based on your diplomas and experience.
Career path
A stationary engineer moves up a class by logging hours on a plant of the target class, then passing the exam: 2,500 hours for class 3, 4,500 for class 2 and 7,500 for class 1, minus the hours of the class already held. Each class opens more powerful plants, up to class 1, which covers every power rating. At the end of the path is the chief stationary engineer, who directs the plant’s operation and whose class, under the regulation, sets the class of the people who relieve them. Others add the refrigeration category or specialize in energy management. Supervision is a separate occupation, NOC 92011, which covers petroleum refining, gas and chemical processing and utilities.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a stationary engineer make in Quebec?
The table above gives the Quebec median and the median for each Greater Montreal region, drawn from Job Bank data for NOC 92100. That occupation also includes power systems and power plant operators: the note under the table spells out its scope. The “What job ads say” block then shows what recent postings in the region display.
How much does a class 4 stationary engineer make?
The table does not split by class: NOC 92100 counts holders of classes 4 to 1 together with the other jobs in the group. The required class depends on the plant, not the person: a class 4 holder directs class 4 plants. To place a job offer, read the class it asks for, then compare it with the “What job ads say” block.
What do you learn in the stationary engine mechanics DEP?
The DEP en mécanique de machines fixes teaches you to run and maintain everything that heats, cools and ventilates a building. According to Inforoute FPT, its 1,800 hours cover boiler control, fluid treatment, refrigeration, air conditioning, compressed air, pneumatic controls, electrical controls, fire protection, building automation software and energy efficiency.
Is a stationary engineer the same as a heavy equipment mechanic?
No. A stationary engineer works on permanently installed equipment: boilers, steam turbines and refrigeration systems, as defined by Quebec’s Stationary Enginemen Act. A heavy equipment mechanic repairs mobile machines; the trade comes from a different DEP, Mécanique d’engins de chantier, and on construction sites it falls under the CCQ. This page covers plants and buildings, not construction.
What are the stationary engineer classes in Quebec?
Québec.ca lists two certificate categories. In energy production, class 4 covers high-pressure boilers and low-pressure steam boilers of 6,000 kW or less, class 3 those of 12,000 kW or less, class 2 those of 20,000 kW or less, and class 1 every power rating. In refrigeration, class B has power ceilings; class A covers all equipment.
How do you get a class 1 stationary engineer certificate?
Class 1 requires at least 7,500 hours of apprenticeship under a certificate holder, minus the hours of any class already held. You must also pass five mandatory courses, including Combustion and Problem analysis and decision-making, then a written exam of about seven hours, with 150 to 200 questions and a 60% pass mark.
Do you need a certificate to work as a stationary engineer in Quebec?
Yes. The Stationary Enginemen Act forbids working as a stationary engineer without the certificate of the category set for that work. It also requires the owner or user of stationary machinery to assign that work only to certified people. The certificate is issued by the ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale and is valid for four years.
Can you become a stationary engineer with no experience?
Yes, through apprenticeship. Registration normally comes with the classification notice of the employer’s plant; according to Québec.ca, a person with no employer may register for the class 4 or class B apprenticeship. The apprentice receives an apprentice card and logs hours under the supervision of a holder of the appropriate class, before the exam.
What is the difference between energy production and refrigeration certificates?
They are the two certificate categories. Energy production covers boilers and turbines, in four classes. Refrigeration covers refrigeration systems, in two classes: B up to certain power ceilings, A for all equipment. If the workplace has both types of plant, Québec.ca allows you to register in both categories at the same time.
Do stationary engineers work nights?
Yes, when the plant is under continuous supervision: Quebec’s Regulation respecting stationary enginemen then forbids the engineer to leave the machinery room without being relieved by a certified colleague, which requires a day, evening and night rotation. A plant under periodic supervision instead needs one visit a day, no more than 24 hours after the last, which can be done on days.
What is the difference between a stationary engineer and an industrial mechanic?
A stationary engineer runs and monitors the plant that produces a building’s steam, heat and cooling, with a mandatory certificate of qualification by class. An industrial mechanic, or millwright, maintains and repairs production machinery: presses, conveyors, drives. They come from different DEPs, and the table on each page measures a different NOC.
What is a stationary engineer called in French?
In Quebec, the job is called « mécanicien de machines fixes », and NOC 92100 is titled « Mécaniciens de centrales et opérateurs de réseaux électriques ». The DEP is also offered in English as Stationary Engine Mechanics (program 5859). The official certificate name stays in French: certificat en mécanique de machines fixes, classe 4 (MMF-C4).
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