Gasfitter Trade Regulations
made under Section 17A of the
Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act
S.N.S. 2003, c. 1
N.S. Reg. 143/2017 (effective September 27, 2017)
amended to N.S. Reg. 152/2022 (effective July 6, 2022)
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
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Citation
Definitions
Classes of certification in gasfitter trade
Term and levels of apprenticeship for Gasfitter B
Educational prerequisite for Gasfitter A
Term of apprenticeship for Gasfitter A
Wages for apprentices in gasfitter trade
Gasfitter B certificate through trade qualification
Gasfitter A certificate through trade qualification
Permitted activities—Gasfitter B
Permitted activities—Gasfitter A
Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations
Transition
Citation
1 These trade regulations may be cited as the Gasfitter Trade Regulations.
Definitions
2 (1) In these regulations,
“2016 Gas Fitter Trade Regulations” means the Gas Fitter Trade Regulations, N.S.
Reg. 210/2016;
“Act” means the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act;
“approved appliance” means any equipment or appliance that bears a nameplate or
label indicating that it has been approved or certified by a certification agency
accredited by the Standards Council of Canada;
“Btu/h” means British Thermal Units per hour;
“gas appliance” means an appliance that utilizes natural gas, propane, digester gas
or bio-gas;
“gasfitter” means a Gasfitter A and a Gasfitter B and includes a gas technician as
defined in the Fuel Safety Regulations made under the Technical Safety Act;
“Gasfitter A” means the Gasfitter A class of certification in the gasfitter trade,
consisting of installing, servicing and maintaining any size of gas-utilizing
appliances, piping and equipment;
“Gasfitter B” means the Gasfitter B class of certification in the gasfitter trade,
consisting of installing, servicing and maintaining gas-utilizing appliances and
equipment with an input rate of 400 000 Btu/h or less;
“gasfitter trade” means the occupation of a gasfitter, consisting of the work
performed by a Gasfitter A or Gasfitter B journeyperson or apprentice;
“General Regulations” means the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act
General Regulations made under the Act.
(2) A term defined in the General Regulations has the same meaning when used in
these regulations.
Classes of certification in gasfitter trade
3 The following are the classes of certification in the gasfitter trade:
(a) Gasfitter A;
(b) Gasfitter B.
Term and levels of apprenticeship for Gasfitter B
4 The term of apprenticeship for Gasfitter B consists of all of the following:
(a) 3600 documented hours of the combination of practical experience and the
portion of technical training spent learning the skills of the designated trade
as described in clause 26(1A)(a) of the General Regulations and as
approved by the Director;
(b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(b) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director;
(c) a certification examination.
Educational prerequisite for Gasfitter A
5 The educational prerequisite for Gasfitter A, prescribed for the purposes of clause 7(b) of
the General Regulations, is that a person hold a certificate of qualification in one of the
following before entering into an apprenticeship agreement for Gasfitter A:
(a) Gasfitter B;
(b) the Gas Fitter B trade, issued under the Gas Fitter Trade Regulations,
N.S. Reg. 3/1999;
(c) the Gas Fitter B trade, issued under the 2016 Gas Fitter Trade Regulations;
(d) a certificate of qualification bearing a red seal issued in another province of
Canada in respect of a trade that is the equivalent of Gasfitter B in the
Province.
Term of apprenticeship for Gasfitter A
6 (1) The term of apprenticeship for Gasfitter A consists of all of the following:
(a) a single level consisting of 1800 documented hours of the combination of
practical experience and the portion of technical training spent learning the
skills of the designated trade as described in clause 26(1A)(a) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director, in accordance with the
following requirements:
(i) the 1800 documented hours must be obtained after acquiring a
Gasfitter B certificate of qualification or as set out in clause 5(b), (c)
or (d), and
(ii) at least 450 hours of supervised practical experience of the 1800
documented hours must be obtained on systems with an input rate
greater than 400 000 Btu/h;
(b) related technical training as described in clause 26(1A)(b) of the General
Regulations and as approved by the Director;
(c) a certification examination.
(2) Any probationary period included in a term of apprenticeship for the gasfitter trade
as permitted by subsection 12(2) of the General Regulations must be no longer
than 3 months.
7 [repealed]
Wages for apprentices in gasfitter trade
8 An employer must not employ a gasfitter apprentice at a wage for actual hours worked
that is lower than the wage that would be paid at the minimum wage rate prescribed in
the Minimum Wage Order (General) made under the Labour Standards Code.
Gasfitter B certificate through trade qualification
9 The period of employment in the designated trade that is required by paragraph
30(1)(a)(ii)(B) of the General Regulations for a person who does not hold a certificate of
apprenticeship and is applying for a Gasfitter B certificate of qualification is at least 5400
hours.
Gasfitter A certificate through trade qualification
10 (1) It is a requirement for the purposes of clause 30(1)(e) of the General Regulations
that a person who does not hold a certificate of apprenticeship must hold a
Gasfitter B certificate of qualification before they can apply for a Gasfitter A
certificate of qualification.
(2) The period of employment in the designated trade that is required by paragraph
30(1)(a)(ii)(B) of the General Regulations for a person who does not hold a
certificate of apprenticeship and is applying for a Gasfitter A certificate of
qualification is at least 2700 hours.
Permitted activities—Gasfitter B
11 (1) A Gasfitter B journeyperson or apprentice may install, purge, activate, repair,
service or remove a gas appliance with an input rate of 400 000 Btu/h or less and
equipment and accessories essential to the operation of the appliance.
(2) A Gasfitter B journeyperson or apprentice may perform all of the following
activities on a gas appliance with an input rate of 400 000 Btu/h or less and
equipment essential to the operation of the appliance:
(a) install to an appliance downstream of a natural gas meter, any piping or
tubing or component in a piping or tubing system with a nominal pipe size
of no larger than 2 in., and inspect, test, activate, purge, service, repair,
maintain or remove such piping or tubing or component in a piping of
tubing system;
(b) install to an appliance of a propane vapour system, any piping or tubing or
component in a piping or tubing system with a nominal pipe size of no
larger than 2 in., and inspect, test, activate, purge, service, repair, maintain
or remove such piping or tubing or component in a piping of [or] tubing
system, and install or remove the propane supply container;
(c) install, inspect, service, remove, repair or replace any vent, vent connector,
draft control device or other component in a gas-fired appliance venting
system;
(d) disconnect and reconnect water piping as necessary to exchange, service or
install an approved appliance and carry out the replacement necessary to
complete the reconnection of controls and components forming part of the
appliance, but may not alter, remove, repair or replace any cross-connection
control devices or perform any additional plumbing work unless the
Gasfitter B journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of
qualification in the plumber trade;
(e) perform maintenance on, service or replace a mechanical or electrical
component or accessory;
(f) perform the tasks that are necessary to replace controls and components
forming part of an appliance other than replacing a low water cut-off on a
boiler with an operating pressure above 15 psi, but may not perform any
additional steamfitting/pipefitting work unless the Gasfitter B journeyperson
or apprentice holds a valid certificate of qualification in the
steamfitter/pipefitter trade;
(g) install, service, remove or replace components and accessories forming part
of the gas-side of a refrigerating or air conditioning unit, but may not
perform any additional work beyond the gas-side of the appliance unless the
Gasfitter B journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of
qualification in the refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic trade;
(h) disconnect and reconnect electrical supply wiring in order to exchange,
service or repair an approved appliance and carry out the replacement
necessary to complete the reconnection of controls and components forming
part of the appliance, but may not run wiring back to the panel or perform
any additional electrical work related to the wiring of the appliance unless
the Gasfitter B journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of
qualification in the construction electrician trade;
(i) install, repair, service, remove or replace the plenum connection or
components forming part of the plenum connection in order to complete the
installation of a gas appliance, but may not perform any additional sheet
metal work beyond the plenum connection unless the Gasfitter B
journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of qualification in the
sheet metal worker trade.
Permitted activities—Gasfitter A
12 A Gasfitter A journeyperson or apprentice may perform all of the following activities on
any gas appliance:
(a) install, inspect, test, activate, purge, service, repair or remove a gas
appliance or any equipment or accessories essential to the operation of the
appliance;
(b) install to an appliance downstream of a natural gas meter, any piping or
tubing or component in a piping or tubing system, and inspect, test, activate,
purge, service, repair, maintain or remove such piping or tubing or
component in a piping or tubing system;
(c) install to an appliance or a propane system, any piping or tubing or
component in a piping or tubing system, and inspect, test, activate, purge,
service, repair, maintain or remove such piping or tubing or component in a
piping or tubing system and install or remove the propane supply container;
(d) install, inspect, service, remove, repair or replace any vent, vent connector,
draft control device or other component in a gas-fired appliance venting
system;
(e) disconnect and reconnect water piping as necessary to exchange, service or
install an approved appliance and carry out the replacement necessary to
complete the reconnection of controls and components forming part of the
appliance, but may not alter, remove, repair or replace any cross-connection
control devices or perform any additional plumbing work unless the
Gasfitter A journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of
qualification in the plumber trade;
(f) perform maintenance on, service or replace a mechanical or electrical
component or accessory that is either part of an appliance or is essential to
the operation of the appliance;
(g) perform the tasks that are necessary to replace controls and components
forming part of an appliance other than replacing a low water cut-off on a
boiler with an operating pressure above 15 psi, but may not perform any
additional steam or pipefitting work unless the Gasfitter A journeyperson or
apprentice holds a valid certificate of qualification in the
steamfitter/pipefitter trade;
(h) install, service, remove or replace components and accessories forming part
of the gas-side of a refrigerating or air conditioning unit, but may not
perform any additional work beyond the gas-side of the appliance unless the
Gasfitter A journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of
qualification in the refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic trade;
(i) disconnect and reconnect electrical supply wiring in order to exchange,
service or repair an approved appliance and carry out the replacement
necessary to complete the reconnection of controls and components forming
part of the appliance, but may not run wiring back to the panel or perform
any additional electrical work related to the wiring of the appliance unless
the Gasfitter A journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of
qualification in the construction electrician trade;
(j) install, repair, service, remove or replace the plenum connection or
components forming part of the plenum connection in order to complete the
installation of a gas appliance, but may not perform any additional sheet
metal work beyond the plenum connection unless the Gasfitter A
journeyperson or apprentice holds a valid certificate of qualification in the
sheet metal worker trade;
(k) perform any functions that may be performed by the holder of a Gasfitter B
certificate of qualification.
Compliance with identity card requirements of General Regulations
13 For the purposes of Section 34 of the General Regulations, which requires an apprentice
or journeyperson to keep their identity card in their possession when practising the
designated trade and produce it on request, a person is practising the gasfitter trade while
the person is doing any of the following:
(a) for an apprentice,
(i) acquiring practical experience in the trade, or
(ii) learning the skills of the trade during the technical training portion of
apprenticeship training;
(b) for a journeyperson, performing the duties of the trade as defined in these
regulations or their duties as set out in the General Regulations.
Transition
14 (1) A person who, immediately before the coming into force of these regulations, was
an apprentice in an apprenticeship program for the Gas Fitter B trade under the
2016 Gas Fitter Trade Regulations, may do either of the following:
(a) continue as an apprentice in that apprenticeship program under the 2016
Gas Fitter Trade Regulations;
(b) become an apprentice in the apprenticeship program for Gasfitter B under
these regulations, with full credit being granted for any of the following that,
in the opinion of the Director, has been completed by the person:
(i) the documented hours of the combination of practical experience and
the portion of technical training spent learning the skills of the
designated trade as required by clause 3(1)(a) of the 2016 Gas Fitter
Trade Regulations,
(ii) the related technical training as required by clause 3(1)(b) of the 2016
Gas Fitter Trade Regulations.
(2) A person who, immediately before the coming into force of these regulations, was
an apprentice in an apprenticeship program for the Gas Fitter A trade under the
2016 Gas Fitter Trade Regulations continues as an apprentice in that
apprenticeship program under these regulations.
The following regulations are not yet in force and are
not included in the current consolidation: