# Restoration Mason (244H) ## Fast facts | Trade code | 244H | | --- | --- | | Sector | Construction | | Classification | Voluntary trade | | Certifying exam | Not prescribed under O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3 | | Apprentice to journeyperson ratio | Subject to a ratio (O. Reg. 876/21, s. 4) | | Red Seal trade | No | | Active apprentices in Ontario | under 20 (reported in Ontario's apprenticeship dataset) | | Approved sponsors | 4 | | Certifying body | Skilled Trades Ontario | Last verified August 20, 2026 against the sources listed below. ## What is a restoration mason? A Restoration Mason: Prepares mortars Cuts out and fills joints Repairs or resets bricks, stone and terra cotta blocks in ashlar, rubble and brickwork. Description published by [Skilled Trades Ontario](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/restoration-mason/). ## Is restoration mason a compulsory trade in Ontario? No. Restoration Mason 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 restoration mason 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 Restoration Mason](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/restoration-mason/). 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 there an apprentice to journeyperson ratio for the 244H? Yes. Restoration Mason is one of the 33 trades that section 4 of O. Reg. 876/21 makes subject to an apprentice to journeyperson ratio. The regulation establishes that a ratio applies, but the numeric ratio itself is not stated in section 4. Confirm the current ratio with Skilled Trades Ontario before registering an additional apprentice, because it limits how many apprentices a sponsor may train at once. ## Is the 244H a Red Seal trade? No. Restoration Mason 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 a restoration mason in Ontario? | Private training providers | 1 | | --- | --- | | Approved sponsors | 4 employers registered to train apprentices | | Apprentices in training | under 20 | 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 construction work in Ontario? Ontario does not publish injury figures per trade, only by sector. In 2024 the Ministry of Labour recorded 18 worker fatalities and 442 critical injuries under the construction health and safety program. See [the ten-year counts and what they leave out](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/safety/). ## Related Ontario trades Other construction sector trades with certification records on this registry: - [Cement (Concrete) Finisher (244G) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/244g-cement-concrete-finisher/) - [Precast Concrete Erector (244K) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/244k-precast-concrete-erector/) - [Precast Concrete Finisher (244L) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/244l-precast-concrete-finisher/) - [Brick and Stone Mason (401A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/401a-brick-and-stone-mason/) - [Concrete Pump Operator (637C) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/637c-concrete-pump-operator/) - [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: Restoration Mason](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/restoration-mason/) - 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. --- Source: https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/244h-restoration-mason/