# Elevating Devices Mechanic (636E)

## Fast facts

| Trade code | 636E |
| --- | --- |
| 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 | 653 (reported in Ontario's apprenticeship dataset) |
| Approved sponsors | 57 |
| Certifying body | Skilled Trades Ontario |

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

## What does an elevating devices mechanic do?

An Elevating Devices Mechanic constructs, installs, services and maintains elevating devices including elevators, lifts and escalators.

Skilled Trades Ontario describes the work of this trade as follows:

- inspects, services and maintains existing elevating devices
- installs new elevating devices
- rigs and hoists elevating devices
- installs and maintains control equipment
- installs and maintains protective devices

## What do you study in school for the 636E?

The in-school portion covers, but is not limited to:

- mechanical print reading
- ladders, scaffolding, work platforms, rigging and hoisting
- mechanical practice
- traction elevator installation
- elevator hydraulic systems and installation
- industrial electricity for elevating devices
- motors, generators, controls and alternative current drives
- solid state electronics/circuit tracing
- escalators and moving walks installation
- lifts for persons with physical disabilities
- elevator modernization/alterations

## Is elevating devices mechanic a compulsory trade in Ontario?

No. Elevating Devices Mechanic 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 an elevating devices mechanic 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 Elevating Devices Mechanic](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/elevating-devices-mechanic/). 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 636E a Red Seal trade?

No. Elevating Devices Mechanic 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.

## Where can you train as an elevating devices mechanic in Ontario?

| Public training providers | 1 colleges deliver the in-school portion |
| --- | --- |
| Private training providers | 1 |
| Approved sponsors | 57 employers registered to train apprentices |
| Apprentices in training | 653 |

Counts are from Ontario's published apprenticeships dataset. A sponsor is the employer or union that registers and trains the apprentice; you need one before an apprenticeship can start.

## 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:

- [Heavy Equipment Operator - Dozer (636C) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/636c-heavy-equipment-operator-dozer/)
- [Heavy Equipment Operator - Excavator (636B) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/636b-heavy-equipment-operator-excavator/)
- [Heavy Equipment Operator - Tractor Loader Backhoe (636A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/636a-heavy-equipment-operator-tractor-loader-backhoe/)
- [Industrial Mechanic Millwright (433A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/433a-industrial-mechanic-millwright/)
- [Bearings Mechanic (615A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/615a-bearings-mechanic/)
- [Exterior Insulated Finish Systems Mechanic (455A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/455a-exterior-insulated-finish-systems-mechanic/)
- [Facilities Mechanic (255W) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/255w-facilities-mechanic/)
- [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: Elevating Devices Mechanic](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/elevating-devices-mechanic/)
- 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/636e-elevating-devices-mechanic/