# Tool and Cutter Grinder (602C)

## Fast facts

| Trade code | 602C |
| --- | --- |
| Sector | Industrial |
| Classification | Voluntary trade |
| Certifying exam | Not prescribed under O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3 |
| Apprentice to journeyperson ratio | Not subject to a ratio |
| Red Seal trade | No |
| Active apprentices in Ontario | 0 (reported in Ontario's apprenticeship dataset) |
| Approved sponsors | 0 |
| Certifying body | Skilled Trades Ontario |

Last verified August 20, 2026 against the sources listed below.

## Is tool and cutter grinder still a trade in Ontario?

Yes, in law. Tool and Cutter Grinder is named in section 1 of O. Reg. 876/21, so it remains a prescribed trade. What has stopped is the training: Ontario's apprenticeship dataset reports zero apprentices, zero sponsors and zero training providers for it. The dataset writes small counts as "under 20" rather than zero, so these are true zeros, not suppressed figures.

In practice that means there is no active apprenticeship pathway into this trade in Ontario right now. It is not a compulsory trade, so no annual renewal applies, and nothing in the regulation revokes a certificate that has already been issued. If you hold one, or need to confirm your own standing, check with [Skilled Trades Ontario](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/).

## What is a tool and cutter grinder?

A Tool and Cutter Grinder performs some of the following: Sets up and operates grinder machines such as surface, cylindrical, pedestal, and tool or cutter grinders to shape or sharpen precision cutting tools and cutters.

Description published by [Skilled Trades Ontario](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/tool-and-cutter-grinder/).

## Is tool and cutter grinder a compulsory trade in Ontario?

No. Tool and Cutter Grinder is a prescribed trade under section 1 of O. Reg. 876/21, but it is not on the compulsory list in section 2. That means you can legally work in this trade in Ontario without holding a Certificate of Qualification. Certification is voluntary and serves as formal proof of competency to employers and clients.

Voluntary classification only covers certification under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act. Specific work within the trade can still require separate licences or permits under other Ontario statutes, so confirm the rules for the actual work being done. The 23 trades where certification is mandatory are on the [compulsory trades list](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/compulsory/).

## How do you become a tool and cutter grinder in Ontario?

The apprenticeship pathway for this trade is administered by Skilled Trades Ontario under section 14 of the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021:

1. **Find a sponsor and register a training agreement.** An employer or union sponsor takes you on and the training agreement is registered with the ministry.
2. **Complete the on the job and in school training.** The skills are set out in the trade's Apprenticeship Training Standard, signed off by your sponsor as you demonstrate them, alongside levels of in school theory at a training delivery agent.
3. **Receive your Certificate of Apprenticeship.** Skilled Trades Ontario issues it when the program is complete.
4. **No certifying exam follows.** O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3 does not prescribe a certifying exam for this trade, so the Certificate of Apprenticeship is the completion credential.

The exact training standard, current curriculum and program details are on the [Skilled Trades Ontario page for Tool and Cutter Grinder](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/tool-and-cutter-grinder/). On the job hour requirements vary by trade and are not published on this page yet; confirm them in the training standard before signing an agreement.

## Is the 602C a Red Seal trade?

No. Tool and Cutter Grinder is an Ontario prescribed trade but is not part of the Interprovincial Red Seal Program, so an Ontario credential in this trade does not carry automatic recognition in other provinces. Workers moving to another province should check that province's own trade classification.

## Certification is not the only paperwork

A Certificate of Qualification covers the person. Running a business in the trade carries its own obligations: many Ontario municipalities require a contractor licence on top of personal certification, and construction employers must complete WSIB registration before work begins. Both are indexed on our sister site: [municipal contractor licensing requirements by city](https://ontariotraderegistry.ca/licensing/) and [WSIB Form 1000, registration of constructors and employers](https://ontariotraderegistry.ca/compliance/wsib-form-1000/), on Ontario Trade Registry.

## How dangerous is industrial work in Ontario?

Ontario does not publish injury figures per trade, only by sector. In 2024 the Ministry of Labour recorded 27 worker fatalities and 2,148 critical injuries under the industrial health and safety program. See [the ten-year counts and what they leave out](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/safety/).

## Related Ontario trades

Other industrial sector trades with certification records on this registry:

- [Industrial Electrician (442A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/442a-industrial-electrician/)
- [Industrial Mechanic Millwright (433A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/433a-industrial-mechanic-millwright/)
- [Tool and Die Maker (430A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/430a-tool-and-die-maker/)
- [Water Well Driller (605B) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/605b-water-well-driller/)
- [Welder (456A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/456a-welder/)
- [All 23 compulsory trades in Ontario](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/compulsory/)

## Official verification sources

- Regulation[O. Reg. 876/21, Prescribed Trades and Related Matters (e-Laws)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/210876)
- Certifying body[Skilled Trades Ontario: Tool and Cutter Grinder](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/tool-and-cutter-grinder/)
- Act[Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (e-Laws)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/21b28)
- Participation data[Ontario open data: Apprenticeships dataset](https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/apprenticeships)Classification, exam requirement and ratio status on this page are read directly from O. Reg. 876/21 as consolidated on e-Laws, not from secondary summaries. Facts not yet verified against a primary source are marked as not published rather than estimated.

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Source: https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/602c-tool-and-cutter-grinder/