NOC 74204: Utility maintenance workers
What utility maintenance workers do
Utility maintenance workers locate, repair, install and perform maintenance work to various equipment and facilities, such as water filtration and distribution plants, waste water treatment plants and power plants. They may also work on exterior and underground gas mains and distribution lines. They are employed by municipal, provincial and federal public works departments, private contractors under contract with government public works departments and gas distribution companies.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Waterworks maintenance workers
- Check, clean and lubricate waterworks equipment, such as pumping equipment, chlorination equipment and compressors
- Adjust and repair waterworks equipment under the direction of qualified tradesperson
- Search and locate reported water leaks and repair water-mains, valves or outlets
- Install water meters using hand and power tools.
- Gas maintenance workers
- Check and lubricate gas pipeline valves
- Conduct routine survey of gas mains and distribution lines to detect and locate escaping gas using gas detecting devices
- Investigate reports of gas leaks to determine the exact location and extent of leaks
- Dig ground to expose gas lines and repair damaged pipes
- Keep record of work performed and location and condition of pipelines
- Provide information on underground gas distribution lines and observe excavation work to ensure that underground gas facilities are protected.
- Other utility workers
- Operate equipment and instruments to locate and mark underground utility lines and pipes
- Provide information on underground utility lines
- Operate equipment and hand tools to inspect and test utility poles for decay and deterioration.
Job titles under NOC 74204
38 job titles are classified here, including gas leak locator, gas maintenance worker, gas utility operator.
- damage prevention technician
- distribution and maintenance worker - utilities
- field measurement hand - utilities
- gas leak inspector
- gas leak locator
- gas leak surveyor
- gas main leak inspector
- gas main leak locator
- gas main leakage tester
- gas main maintenance and repairman/woman
- gas maintenance worker
- gas meter installer
- gas regulator
- gas utility operator
- hydrant and valve maintenance worker
- line locator - utilities
- maintenance utility worker
- pipe locator - utilities
- pipeline maintenance worker
- pipeline patrolman/woman
- pipeline rehabilitation worker
- power pole inspector
- troubleshooter - pipeline
- underground lines inspector - utilities
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- Several years of experience as a labourer in the same company may be required.
- On-the-job training is provided.
- Drinking water certification is required in Quebec and Ontario for waterworks maintenance workers.
Utility maintenance workers wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $23.00/hr | $34.00/hr | $48.08/hr |
Toronto ON | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $43.00/hr |
Montréal QC | $23.82/hr | $31.55/hr | $37.06/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $31.80/hr | $35.00/hr | $48.08/hr |
Edmonton AB | $22.00/hr | $36.19/hr | $61.79/hr |
Ottawa ON | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $43.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $23.00/hr | $27.00/hr | $35.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $24.16/hr | $30.95/hr | $42.51/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $43.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $43.00/hr |
London ON | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $43.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $27.33/hr | $33.41/hr | $42.91/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $19.15/hr | $25.91/hr | $34.97/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $19.56/hr | $27.57/hr | $41.50/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $20.00/hr | $30.14/hr | $36.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $20.00/hr | $30.14/hr | $36.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $17.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $30.20/hr |
Quebec | $24.16/hr | $30.95/hr | $42.51/hr |
Ontario | $25.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $43.00/hr |
Manitoba | $22.00/hr | $27.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $19.04/hr | $26.68/hr | $36.82/hr |
Alberta | $22.00/hr | $36.19/hr | $61.79/hr |
British Columbia | $31.80/hr | $36.21/hr | $50.00/hr |
Using NOC 74204 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 38 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Gas fitters (NOC 72302)
- Localiser - linguistic (NOC 51114)
- Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities (NOC 92011)
- Water and waste treatment plant operators (NOC 92101)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for utility maintenance workers?
Utility maintenance workers are NOC 2021 unit group 74204. Example job titles in this group include gas leak locator, gas maintenance worker, gas utility operator, pipeline maintenance worker.
What TEER is NOC 74204?
NOC 74204 is TEER 4 (High school and on-the-job training). Usually requires completion of secondary school, or several weeks of on-the-job training. TEER 4 and 5 work does not count as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do utility maintenance workers earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $34.00/hr, about $66,000 a year full-time, with a range of $23.00/hr to $48.08/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.