After consulting extensively with members in the Province of Nova Scotia over the past two years, HRAI has submitted an official application to the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Authority (NSAA) for the establishment of a residential trade focused on the unique needs of the residential HVAC sector.

A major surge in the popularity of residential heat pumps throughout the region, driven in part by utility and government programs aimed at shifting energy use patterns, has exposed a skills gap between what the market needs and what the HVAC industry is currently able to deliver.  The current minimum regulatory requirement in the region for residential HVAC work is the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Trade (except Newfoundland where it is not compulsory) but in recent years the supply of RAC Mechanics is far below what is needed to meet market demand.  In the view of contractors in the region, the scope of training for this trade also exceeds the competency requirements for the residential sector.

For these reasons, it was proposed by the Atlantic Region Council at the 2020 HRAI Contractors Town Hall Meeting that a new trade should be established to serve the needs of the residential sector in the region.  It is proposed that his trade be established as a stand-alone trade but also as a stepping stone to the refrigeration and Air Conditioning Trade following the same approach that has been implemented in other provinces (MB, ON) and is currently being explored in BC. It is similar in principle to the two-level designation for gas technicians which exists in all provinces.

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