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Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics

In Ontario, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics might also be known as central air conditioning mechanics, commercial refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, refrigeration mechanics and/or residential air conditioning systems mechanics. The Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics trade is divided into two branches:

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics (also known as Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics 313A) work on all cooling or heating-cooling combination systems that are installed and used in residential, industrial, commercial or institutional settings.  Their employers are companies that design, build, install, service and maintain refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Their major responsibilities are to:

• Plan, prepare and lay out any cooling system or heating-cooling combination systems;
• Install and start up refrigeration and air cooling systems and confirm that the systems are operating and functioning;
• Install and connect piping that carries all types of refrigerant used for primary and secondary cooling;
• Maintain, service, repair and replace refrigeration and air cooling systems components and accessories, including the electrical and electronic components of the systems;
• Service, test, adjust, commission and decommission refrigeration and air cooling systems.

Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics (also known as Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics 313D) work on any air conditioning system installed as an independent unit in a residential family dwelling. They work on systems that operate at no more than 240V single-phase power, with a maximum branch circuit capacity of 60 amps, and a maximum cooling capacity of five tons (60,000 BTUs). They work for companies that design, build, install, service and maintain residential air conditioning systems.

Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics apply their advanced knowledge of air conditioning technology and mechanical systems as well as basic knowledge of electricity and electronics to their major responsibilities:

• Plan, prepare and lay out residential air conditioning systems;
• Install, start up and verify the operation and function of residential air conditioning systems;
• Install and connect piping that conveys refrigerant for primary and secondary cooling;
• Maintain, service, repair and replace residential air conditioning components and accessories, including the electrical and electronic components of the system;
• Service, test, adjust, commission and decommission residential air conditioning systems.

This is a compulsory regulated trade. This means that all workers who wish to work in this trade in Ontario must attain the competencies required to practice this trade, by apprenticing and/or by receiving trade certification. Detailed information on what this means is included in this Career Map.

Essential Skills

To work as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic in Ontario, you must have:

• Good mechanical aptitude and skills;
• The ability to read text, in order to:
  • Understand work orders and manufacturer's bulletins
  • Review equipment manuals and equipment specifications
  • Interpret a range of codes relating to building, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration, to comply with regulations and reading detailed diagnostic procedures in equipment manuals;
• The ability to use documents to:
  • Review equipment lists
  • Read work orders
  • Recognize hazard signs posted at worksites
  • Read warning labels that are part of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
  • Use tables such as refrigeration pressure and temperature charts
  • Analyze temperature graphs of refrigerated unit sensors
  • Interpret blueprints
  • Interpret electrical schematics

Competencies Required to Practise Your Trade in Ontario

Before you can receive trade certification, the employer who sponsors your apprenticeship must confirm that you have certain competencies.  

If you are training to be a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics (313A), your employer must confirm that you can competently:   

• Protect yourself and others;
• Plan and prepare for the installation, maintenance and service of refrigeration and air cooling (R&AC) systems;
• Install and start up air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Service or maintain air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Install and commission refrigeration and air cooling systems (R&AC);
• Maintain refrigeration and air cooling systems (R&AC);
• Service refrigeration and air cooling systems (R&AC); and
• Perform customer service.

If you are training to be a Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic, your employer has to confirm that you can competently:

• Protect yourself and others;
• Plan and prepare for the installation, maintenance and service of residential air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Assemble and install residential air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Commission residential air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Service residential air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Maintain residential air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP);
• Service and/or maintain electrical components of residential air conditioning (AC) and heat pumps (HP); and
• Perform customer service.

Before You Immigrate to Canada

Because you will be evaluated on your skills based on your training and on-the-job experience in Ontario, you must gather together as much information as possible about your training, years of experience and duties at work.

Your documentation must include dated letters written on company letterhead from the companies (or unions, if applicable) for whom you worked, stating:

• Your job title;
• The type and size of equipment you have operated;
• The exact start and finish dates of your employment in the trade;
• The number of hours you worked;
• A detailed description of the skills you demonstrated on the job; and
• A complete description of your job duties.

You should also gather together and bring all diplomas, certificates, licenses, official school transcripts of your training, a detailed list of the subjects covered in each course and the length of each course, and/or other documents that describe your training and the work tasks you have performed. These documents must also show where and how long you have worked as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic.

Language Requirements

When you apply for certification as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic, you are not required to pass an English or French language test. However, to become certified, you must write a multiple-choice examination, which requires knowledge and understanding of the English or French terms for this trade. Once you are working as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic you will require excellent language skills. You must communicate clearly with other workers and customers. You will also have to interpret blueprints, drawings, and other specifications, to operate computer-controlled equipment, and to write reports, prepare service orders and make notes on service documents.

Certification Requirements In Ontario

As indicated earlier, this is a regulated compulsory trade in Ontario. All workers must be certified by Ontario government’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Employment & Training Division, Apprenticeship Branch. 

The legislation regulating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics is the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (2005), Regulation 75/05. These laws say it is illegal for anyone in Ontario to do any of the work of a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics other than:

• A journeyperson (the holder of a valid license called a Certificate of Qualification, or ‘C of Q’);
• The holder of a valid provisional certificate; or
• A registered apprentice under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyperson. Apprenticeship is a contract between three parties – a person who wants to learn a skilled trade, an employer who needs a skilled worker, and the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities requires you to be at least 16 years of age and complete Grade 10 of high school before you can  become a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic in this province. However, most employers who provide the training and apprenticeship opportunities require apprentices to complete Grade 12 or the equivalent, and also require strong mathematics and English or French skills. 

You must do one of the following.

Option A: Enter the trade as a C of Q applicant. This requires that you prove that you have sufficient training and experience from another country to practice the trade in Ontario. There is no automatic certification for internationally trained trades people in any trade in Ontario. There is, however, an assessment process that evaluates the training and experience of qualified internationally trained trades people. The length of time that it will take you to become certified will depend on how closely your training and experience match the training standards for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics in Ontario. It can take as short a time as six months if you have the equivalent training, or as long as two to five years if you need to get work experience or to complete an apprenticeship.

You must provide documentation of your on-the-job experience, as described above on pages 3 and 4. This documentation will be reviewed for your eligibility to sit the Certificate of Qualification Examination with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. If your application is turned down because you do not have enough qualifying experience, you will need to discuss your options with ministry staff.

Or

Option B: Enter the trade as an apprentice
Apprenticeship is a training agreement between a person who wants to learn a skilled trade and an employer who needs a skilled worker and is willing to train an apprentice. An apprentice earns at least minimum wages while working and learning the skills necessary to become a qualified tradesperson or journeyperson. Apprentices receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship when they successfully complete their in-school and on-the-job apprenticeship training. Employers often request an apprenticeship certificate as proof of training and experience.

There are two different apprenticeship programs for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics in Ontario.

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics 313A require 9,000 hours (at least four and a half years) of on-the-job apprenticeship training. This includes 24 weeks of fulltime studies, comprised of Level 1 training that is the same (known as Common Core) for both 313A and 313D, plus Level 2 and Level 3 in-school instruction. During these 9,000 hours, you will study:

• Trade practices;
• Mechanical cooling cycle fundamentals;
• Mechanical cooling cycle components and accessories;
• Electrical fundamentals;
• Pipe joining;
• Installation and system start up procedures for Mechanical Cooling System;
• Pressure enthalpy and refrigerants;
• Plan Specifications and Load Calculations;
• Cooling systems and components;
• System design and installation;
• Electrical and Control Systems;
• Rigging and hoisting;
• Applied Psychrometrics;
• Prints and Heat Load Calculations;
• Air Conditioning Systems;
• Air Distribution Systems and Accessories;
• Advanced Electrical; and
• Electronic Devices and Controls.

Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics 313D require 4,500 hours (at least two and a half years) of on-the-job apprenticeship training. This includes Level 1, Common Core and Level 2 in-school instruction in:

• Trade practices;
• Mechanical cooling cycle fundamentals;
• Mechanical cooling cycle components and accessories;
• Electrical fundamentals;
• Pipe Joining, (Brazing and Welding);
• Installation and system start up procedures for Mechanical Cooling System;
• Applied psychrometrics;
• Prints and heat load calculations;
• Air conditioning systems;
• Air distribution systems and accessories;
• Electrical and control systems;
• Installation procedures – Level 2.

It is possible to switch from Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic 313A to Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic 313D, but only if your Employment and Training Consultant has determined that you have the necessary skills and knowledge. You will be able to apply the hours you have already put in as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic 313A. If you’ve completed all levels of schooling, you will need no further schooling. Otherwise:

• If you’ve completed Level 1, you can proceed directly to the Level 2 in-school component. The in-school Level 1 courses for both types of programs are the same. They match Level 3 of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic 313A schooling.
• If you’ve completed Levels 1 and 2 of your Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic 313A schooling, you will need to complete Level 3.

When You Arrive In Ontario

There is no automatic certification for foreign-trained tradespeople in any trade in Ontario. There is, however, an assessment process that evaluates the training and experience of tradespeople trained in other countries. As indicated earlier, the length of time that it will take you to become certified will depend on how closely your training and experience matches the training standards for your trade in Ontario.

The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Apprenticeship Offices process all applications for trade certification in Ontario. When you arrive in Ontario, contact the office in your area. The addresses and telephone numbers of these offices are at the end of this Career Map. Make an appointment to see a Skills Training Officer, and, if you haven’t done so already, get a copy of the Apprenticeship Standards – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic, 313A or Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic, 313D. This is an essential reference for foreign-trained Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics who are not familiar with the language we use and the skills we require in Ontario. It provides a detailed explanation of the competencies you will require as well as all of the skills and work tasks that Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics and Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics must demonstrate before they can write the Certificate of Qualification Exam for these trades.

Step 1. Meeting A Skills Training Officer

The Skills Training Officer will ask you for documentation that describes your past work experience and training. Take your Social Insurance Number (SIN) along with all the documents you have gathered to this first meeting, including:  

• Letters from current and past employers, dated and written on company letterhead, showing the company name and address, the exact dates of your employment, the number of hours that you worked, your title, and a complete description of your job duties;
• A letter from a union with the same information as above, if applicable;
• Trade certificates, diplomas, or licences;
• Official school transcripts. Include a detailed list of the subjects covered in each course, and the length of each course;
• If these documents are in a language other than English or French, a translation that is signed by a registered translator, a notary public or a lawyer.

The Skills Training Officer will review these documents and compare your work experience to the requirements for certification as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic or Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic in Ontario.

Step 2. Assessment Of Your Previous Training And Experience

The Skills Training Officer will assess your training and experience and determine if you need further training and experience in your trade before you write the Certificate of Qualification Exam. If your documented experience is equivalent to what an apprentice in Ontario would be required to complete, you may be eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification Exam.

Training and work experience, if required

If your documented experience is not equivalent to Ontario’s training requirements, you may have to serve an apprenticeship period to get the skills and on-the-job training you need to work in Ontario. This apprenticeship may be shorter than the apprenticeship for an inexperienced worker in the trade.

To get a position as an apprentice, you will need to find an employer who will hire you. You can find potential employers by looking in the Yellow Pages (the telephone directory for businesses) and calling them up to see if they require a new worker. Potential employers also advertise or respond to advertisements at employment agencies or in local newspapers. Employers sometimes place job ads at government employment agencies. Union members can find employment by contacting the local branch of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Refrigeration Workers union (also listed in the telephone directory). It is a good idea to prepare a well-written resume that explains to potential employers how you will benefit their business and the trade.

Once you find an employer or sponsor, you must register your apprenticeship with a Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Employment &Training Division, Apprenticeship Office. You and your sponsor will both sign an Apprenticeship Agreement, which is a contract to complete the Apprenticeship Standards.

Statutory Declaration

If your documents do not sufficiently describe your skills and training but you know that you have the skills and training required, you may submit a Statutory Declaration. This document should describe your experience and training in detail, and explain how you meet the requirements for the trade. The Statutory Declaration will be considered proof of your work experience. The Statutory Declaration must be witnessed and signed by a lawyer. A false declaration is a serious criminal offence.

Step 3. Application For The Certificate Of Qualification

When you have met the requirements for certification you will complete an Application for the Certificate of Qualification.

Step 4. Provisional Certificate Of Qualification

After you complete an Application for the Certificate of Qualification, you are required to pay the $100.00 exam fee and schedule an exam date. You will then receive a Provisional Certificate of Qualification (a temporary licence). This allows you to work as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic until you write the exam for the Certificate of Qualification. The Provisional Certificate of Qualification is valid for 90 days. You must write the exam during that time.

Step 5. Exam Preparation

The Certificate of Qualification Exam asks questions about on-the-job skill sets. It focuses on the skills and experience that Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics need to succeed in an Ontario workplace. Your local Apprenticeship Office can provide you with an exam plan that breaks down the topic areas it will cover.

You may find the exam difficult if you have not yet worked in Ontario. The best way to prepare for the exam if you received your training in another country and it has been recognized as equivalent to Ontario’s standards is to make sure you have acquired all the skills described in Apprenticeship Training Standards – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic. The exam will test your ability to perform each task as well as your understanding of the theory.

In addition to the Apprenticeship Training Standards – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic, you can study textbooks used in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic in-school training courses, such as:

• Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning by Andrew Daniel Althouse, C. H. Turnquist, and A. F. Bracciano (Goodheart-Willcox Publisher) ISBN 156637300X
• Electricity & Controls for HVAC-R, 4th Edition by Stephen Herman and Bennie Sparkman (Delmar Publishers) ISBN/ISSN: 0-7668-1738-5

These books are available in Ontario at community college libraries and bookstores, and possibly at local libraries or bookstores in your community. Your Skills Training Officer may be able to give you the titles of other helpful publications.

If your Ministry assessment suggests that you should upgrade your knowledge by taking courses, Ontario provides a number of options.

Some community settlement agencies in Ontario offer special training courses for foreign-trained tradespeople. Contact the Ontario Council for Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) at the address shown at the end of this fact sheet. OCASI can provide information about settlement agencies in your community. You can also visit www.settlement.org for information online.

Many community training centres (community colleges, union training centres, and private trade schools) offer pre-exam or exam preparation courses. These courses will help you review the theory for your trade and give you some practice in writing the exam. The price of these courses can range from $100.00 to $600.00, depending on their length and content. You can get information on exam preparation courses at apprenticeship offices, in community college calendars (which are in public libraries and on community college websites), or by calling the college.

Your Skills Training Officer may be able to give you more information on these and other exam preparation courses.

Step 6. Certificate of Qualification Exam

Your Skills Training Officer must approve your credentials before you can write the Certificate of Qualification Exam. You will only be able to apply for the exam after you have either completed an apprenticeship, or shown/declared that you have the competencies required for this trade.

Once approved, you can arrange a date to write the exam during your meeting with your Skills Training Officer. The exam is offered at Apprenticeship Training Offices year round, but by appointment only. On the day of the exam, you must show photo ID.

Description Of The Exam

The Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic Certificate of Qualification Exam is a written exam. It contains between 125 and 135 multiple-choice questions on workplace procedures and tasks.    

You are allowed about three hours to complete the exam. Calculators, dictionaries, pencils, erasers and paper are supplied in the exam room. You can use your own dictionary, but only once the exam invigilator (the person in charge of supervising the exam) has inspected and approved it. If you have any special needs, such a requirement for extra time to write the exam, you must make these arrangements with the examining office before the day of the exam.

Readers/Translators

If you have difficulty with English, you are allowed to bring in a reader. The apprenticeship office must approve each reader, and readers must sign a statement that they don’t have any training or experience in the trade.

Readers can be a relative, friend, interpreter from your community or anyone else you know whose English skills are strong. The exam is highly technical, so make sure that you choose someone who knows English well, but who does not have knowledge of refrigeration and air conditioning. Readers can translate words in the exam that you don’t understand, but they are not allowed to help you answer the questions. You may need more time to write the exam if you use the help of a reader, so make these arrangements with the apprenticeship office before the day of your exam.

Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Certificate of Qualification Exam is 70%.

Rewriting Failed Exams

Your exam results will be mailed to you. The results sheet will show your score as a percentage for each section of the exam. If you fail the exam, this information will help you learn which areas you still need to improve.

If you fail, you can rewrite the exam after 15 days. If you fail the exam twice, you can only try it a third time once you have taken a refresher course to upgrade your training or get more work experience. If you fail the exam three times and wish to write the examination again, you will need to meet with a Skills Training Officer for assistance with decision-making.

Step 7. Certificate Of Qualification

Once you pass the exam, your Certificate of Qualification will be mailed to you. You will receive a wall certificate and wallet certificate.  If you lose your wall certificate, you can get a replacement from the apprenticeship office. The fee for an official copy is $60.00.

Red Seal

Passing the C of Q exam for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic 313A will entitle you to a Red Seal on your certificate. Canada’s Red Seal Program is an inter-provincial certification that allows trades people to work in most other Canadian provinces and territories. It allows qualified trades persons to practice the trade in any province or territory in Canada where the trade is designated.

Certificate Renewal

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics must renew their certificates once every three years. The renewal fee is $60.00.

Fees and Costs (in Canadian Dollars)

Training And Upgrading

As an Ontario Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics, you will need to keep up to date with changing environmental legislation and new technologies. Also, your chances of employment and promotion will improve if you have additional training and certificates. You can attain additional training and upgrading at workshops, seminars and courses.

The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada provides a complete list of educational institutions where you can achieve the educational requirements for these professions. In Ontario, the following organizations are Ministry-approved to deliver training for these professions: 

• Algonquin College School of Transportation and Building Trades in Nepean;
• Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology in Hamilton;
• George Brown College School of Construction Management & Trades in Toronto;
• La Cité Collégiale in Ottawa;
• The Joint Training and Apprenticeship Committee, Refrigeration Workers of Ontario, U.A. Local 787

In addition, several training centres in Ontario offer training and upgrading courses, often as weekend or evening courses. The cost for these courses varies between $100.00 and $600.00. You may want to contact an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology (community college), a trade school, a union or another association for more information. The end of this Career Map provides specific contacts, and your Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities consultant may have specific suggestions about a contact in your area.

Labour Market Information

Most Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics work for heating and air conditioning construction firms, mechanical construction firms, commercial refrigeration and air conditioner manufacturers and engineering firms. They work in homes, restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals and anywhere where there is heating - cooling control equipment. The work is mainly indoors, though some installations will involve outside work.

The salary varies according to the workplace and local labour market conditions. On average, it is $30,000 annually for an apprentice and up to $75,000 annually for a journeyperson (certified tradesperson), plus overtime and bonuses.

Employment for this occupation is expected to grow more rapidly than the average for all occupations through the year 2009. As the population and economy grow, the demand for this occupational group will increase due to the installation of new, more efficient air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Much of the work for these mechanics will be in maintenance and repair, which is usually necessary even during economic slowdowns. As in most other trades, there is an increasing need for computer literacy and the ability to operate computer-controlled equipment.

For more information on labour market conditions, see Ontario Job Futures or Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. In Ontario, this information is available in the Ontario Job Futures binder at public libraries or HRSDC Employment Resource Centres in your community.

Related Occupations

Only Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics 313A and 313D are allowed to work on Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning equipment. Other workers, such as heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers work with sheet metal and piping, and repair system components such as electrical motors, compressors, and condensers. Workers with similar skills to Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanics are boilermakers, home appliance repairers, fire protection installers, electricians, plumbers, sheet metal workers, gas fitters, pipe layers, pipe fitters, sprinkler fitters, and steamfitters.

Apprenticeship Offices In Ontario

To order a copy of the Training Standards for this trade, to get more information about certification, or to make an appointment with an apprenticeship training consultant, contact the Apprenticeship Office in your community.

Toronto District Office 625 Church Street 1st Floor Toronto, Ontario M7A 2B5 General inquiries: 416-326-5800 Front desk: 416-326-5775 Fax: 416-326-5799	Pickering Regional Office 1420 Bayly Street Unit 1 Pickering, Ontario L1W 3R4 Telephone: 905-837-7721 or 1-800-461-4608 Fax: 905-837-6726 or 1-800-461-5385	Mississauga Regional Office The Emerald Centre 10 Kingsbridge Garden Circle Suite 610 Mississauga, Ontario L5R 3K6 Telephone: 905-279-7333 or 1-800-736-5520 Voice-mail: 905-279-7709 Fax: 905-279-7332
Hamilton District Office Ontario Government Building 119 King Street West 5th Floor Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4Y7 Telephone: 905-521-7764 or 1-800-668-4479 Fax: 905-521-7701	Brantford Area Office 515 Park Road North Suite 7 Brantford, Ontario N3R 7K8 Telephone: 519-756-5197 Fax: 519-756-0724	Owen Sound Area Office Nor-Towne Plaza Suite 108 1131 - 2nd Avenue East Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 2J1 Telephone: 519-376-5790, ext. 23 or 1-800-838-9468 Fax: 519-376-4843
St. Catharines Area Office 301 St. Paul St. 9th Floor St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7R4 Telephone: 905-704-2991 or 1-800-263-4475 Fax: 905-704-2985	Barrie Regional Office Ontario Government Building 34 Simcoe Street Barrie, Ontario L4N 6T4 Telephone: 705-737-1431 or 1-800-560-3821 Fax: 705-737-5684	London Area Office 217 York Street Suite 201 London, Ontario N6A 5P9 Telephone: 519-675-7788 or 1-800-265-1050 Fax: 519-675-7795
Sarnia Area Office 1319 Exmouth Street Suite 101, 1st Floor Sarnia, Ontario N7S 3Y1 Telephone: 519-542-7705 or 1-800-363-8453 Fax: 519-542-3391	Waterloo Area Office 285 Weber Street North Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 Telephone: 519-571-6009 or 1-800-265-6180 Fax: 519-571-6047	Windsor Area Office Roundhouse Centre, 3155 Howard Avenue, Suite 200 Windsor, Ontario N8X 4Y8 Telephone: 519-973-1441 or 1-800-663-5609 Fax: 519-973-1415
Chatham Area Office 870 Richmond Street P.O. Box 220 Chatham, Ontario N7M 5K3 Telephone: 519-354-2766 1-800-214-8284 Fax: 519-354-3094	Ottawa District Office 1355 Bank Street Suite 703 Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8K7 Telephone: 613-731-7100 or 1-877-221-1220 Fax: 613-731-4160	Brockville Area Office Ontario Government Building P.O. Box 1511 Oxford Street Brockville, Ontario K6V 5Y6 Telephone: 613-342-5481 or 1-877-417-9333 Fax: 613-342-9299 Note: Office is closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Cornwall Area Office 113 Amelia Street Cornwall, Ontario K6H 3P1 Telephone: 613-938-9702 or 1-877-668-6604 Fax: 613-938-6627	Kingston Area Office 1055 Princess Street Suite 404 Kingston, Ontario K7L 5T3 Telephone: 613-545-4338 or 1-877-220-2721 Fax: 613-545-1204	Pembroke Area Office 169 Lake Street Pembroke, Ontario K8A 5L8 Telephone: 613-735-3911 or 1-800-807-0227 Fax: 613-735-6452
Peterborough Area Office Ontario Government Building 306 George Street North Peterborough, Ontario K9J 3H2 Telephone: 705-745-1918 or 1-877-433-6555 Fax: 705-745-1926	Belleville Area Office 1 Bridge Street East 3rd Floor Canada Trust Building Belleville, Ontario K8N 5N9 Telephone: 613-968-5558 or 1-800-953-6885 Fax: 613-968-2364	Sault Ste. Marie District Office 70 Foster Drive 1st and 2nd Floors Roberta Bondar Place Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 6V9 Telephone: 705-945-6815 or 1-800-236-8817 Fax: 705-945-6818
North Bay Area Office Northgate Plaza 1500 Fisher Street 2nd Floor North Bay, Ontario P1B 2H3 Telephone: 705-495-8515 or 1-800-236-0744 Fax: 705-495-8517	Sudbury Area Office 450 Notre Dame Avenue Sudbury, Ontario P3C 5K8 Telephone: 705-564-3030 or 1-800-603-5999 Fax: 705-564-3033	Timmins Area Office 1270 Hwy 101 East Ontario Government Building P.O. Bag 3095, C Wing South Porcupine, Ontario P0N 1C0 Telephone: 705-235-1950 or 1-877-275-5139 Fax: 705-235-1955
Thunder Bay Regional Office 28 Cumberland Street North 3rd Floor Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4K9 Telephone: 807-345-8888 or 1-800-439-5493 Fax: 807-768-2536	Kenora Area Office 810 Robertson Street Suite 105 Kenora, Ontario P9N 4J5 Telephone: 807-468-2879 Fax: 807-468-2881

For More Information

For information on certification requirements and training in Ontario contact:

• Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities - training hotline (no charge in Ontario): 1-800-387-5656; website: www.edu.gov.on.ca, follow the links to training and apprenticeship
• the Employment and Training Division, Apprenticeship office in your community (see the addresses and fax and telephone numbers listed above)

For more information about joining a union contact:

Joint Training and Apprenticeship Committee – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Refrigeration Workers, Local 787
419 Deerhurst Drive
Brampton, Ontario L6T 5K3
Telephone: 905-790-9662
Fax: 905-790-9711
Toll free: 1-800-387-9121
email: info@JTAC787.org
Union website: www.ualocal787.org/
Training website: www.jtac787.org

For information on working in Ontario’s construction sector contact:

Robyn Connolly, Career Advisor
Ontario Construction Secretariat
940 The East Mall, Suite 202
Etobicoke, Ontario
M9B 6J6
Telephone: 416-620-5210
Fax: 416-620-5310
E-mail: rconnolly@iciconstruction.com
Websites: www.onconsec.org and www.madewiththetrades.com

For information on the industry in Ontario contact:

HRAI – Heating and Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada
5486 Orbitor Drive, Building 11, Suite 300
Mississauga, Ontario
L4W 4Y4
Telephone: 905-602-4700
Fax: 905-602-1197
HRAI SkillTech Academy
5045 Orbitor Dr., Bldg. 11, Ste. #300,
Mississauga, Ontario
L4W 4Y4
Tel. 1-800-267-2231, (905) 602-4700
Fax: (905) 602-1197
E-mail: skilltech@hrai.ca
Website: www.hrai.ca

For general information, contact:

MadeWithTheTrades. This site includes information about the construction industry and profiles of apprentices and journeypersons www.madewiththetrades.com

TVOntario's Independent Learning Centre. This site's CareerMatters section has comprehensive information on Apprenticeship, including a job description for Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning systems mechanics. CareerMATTERS is at www.ilc.org and apprenticeship information at www.Apprenticeship

For information on where to get help once you arrive in Ontario contact:

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
110 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario M4R 1A3
Telephone: 416-322-4950
Fax: 416-322-8084
E-mail: general@ocasi.org
Website: www.settlement.org

For information on access to employment for internationally-trained professionals and tradespeople in Ontario contact:

Government of Ontario, Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Labour Market Integration Unit
400 University Ave., 3rd Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2R9
Tel: 416-326-9714
Fax: 416-326-6265
E-mail: aptinfo@mci.gov.on.ca
Website: www.citizenship.gov.on.ca

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS