Machinist Salaries

Machinist Salary in Canada (2026 Guide)

Updated using 277 verified salary entries collected from employers across Canada.

Machinists are important in many industries across Canada, especially in manufacturing, mining, transportation, and energy. They build, repair, and maintain precision parts that keep machines running safely and smoothly.

Based on 277 real salary submissions, the average hourly wage for Machinists in Canada is $36.35/hr. Most wages fall between $32.50/hr and $40.43/hr, and experienced or specialized machinists can earn much more.

National Salary Snapshot

• Average hourly wage: $36.35/hr
• Median hourly wage: $34.00/hr
• Typical range (middle 50%): $32.50 – $40.43/hr
• Highest recorded rate: $67.50/hr
• Lowest recorded rate: $21.15/hr

These numbers come directly from employers in manufacturing, machining shops, mining companies, energy utilities, and large transportation companies across Canada.

Salary by Province

Machinist wages change from province to province depending on the type of industry and demand for skilled trades.

British Columbia

Wages tend to be higher, especially for machinists working in:

• Mining
• Hydro and energy companies
• Rail transportation

Cities like Metro Vancouver, Sparwood, and Fort St. John regularly appear in the higher ranges of the data.

Alberta

• Strong demand for machinists in oil & gas, heavy equipment repair, and industrial maintenance.
• Wages are often above national averages for experienced machinists.

Saskatchewan & Manitoba

• Steady work in mining, rail, and industrial sectors.
• Wages are typically moderate but competitive, especially for multi-skilled machinists.

Ontario & Quebec

• Large manufacturing hubs offer steady opportunities.
• Pay varies widely depending on the employer, industry, and experience level.

Atlantic Canada

• Regular demand for machinists in shipyards, fabrication shops, and marine repair.
• Wages are usually moderate.

Top Paying Cities for Machinists

Based on the data, the highest-paying areas include:

Sparwood, BC – Mining operations with strong pay

Fort St. John, BC – Industrial and hydro-related work

Metro Vancouver, BC – Large companies and transit operations

Northern or remote regions – Often pay higher due to location and shift work

Machinists who work in remote mining sites or on industrial equipment often earn the highest wages.

What Affects Machinist Pay?

1. Type of Work

Machinist wages depend heavily on the type of equipment and industry:

• CNC machining
• Manual machining
• Heavy equipment repair
• Mining and industrial maintenance
• Transportation (rail, marine, aviation)
• Fabrication and welding

CNC specialists, industrial machinists, and those working on large equipment usually earn higher wages.

2. Experience & Skill Level

Higher wages are linked to:

• 5–15+ years of experience
• Ability to read complex blueprints
• CNC programming skills
• Experience with precision tolerances
• Dual-ticket skills (machinist + millwright, machinist + welder)

Employers pay more for machinists who can work independently and handle critical or high-precision tasks.

3. Location

Remote and northern areas often offer premium wages due to travel, living costs, and shift schedules.

Cities with major industrial operations also pay more.

4. Industry Demand

Mining, utilities, rail, and hydro companies typically offer better wages than small job shops.

Large employers often provide:

• Higher base pay
• Better benefits
• Training and advancement opportunities

Job Outlook for Machinists in 2026

Demand for machinists remains strong due to:

• Growth in manufacturing and fabrication
• Ongoing mining and energy projects
• Aging workforce and skilled trades shortages
• Increased need for equipment maintenance
• Retirement of experienced machinists

Machinists continue to be in demand across Canada, especially in industrial and remote regions.

Where This Data Comes From

This report is based on 277 real machinist salary entries, manually verified and collected from employers across multiple industries in Canada.

Each entry includes job title, employer name, city/town, province, and hourly wage.

We at Red Seal try our best to keep up with new information about trades and industrial management jobs. One of the most important and changing factors of a job is how much it pays, which is why we post these Trades Salary Surveys. Please see below for a sample of salaries for CNC Machinists across Canada.

If you’re an employer who would like a salary report for a particular industry or location, please reach out to us at office@redsealrecruiting.com.

For job seekers, please feel free to browse the current Machinist jobs and be sure to send us your resume to keep on file even if you don’t see a particular job you’re interested in right now.

Help us help others!
We always welcome more information to keep our data up to date. If you’re a machinist who would like to share your salary, please send us an email to office@redsealrecruiting.com. Your name will not be published and your identity will be kept confidential.

Don’t forget to visit our page on writing a good trades resume for tips and samples.