In the Air - HRAI Industry News

Last week, HRAI’s Martin Luymes and Abhilash Kantamneni travelled to Prince Edward Island to take part in two public stakeholder meetings hosted by Apprenticeship PEI on the future of the refrigeration and air-conditioning trade. The sessions brought together 40–50 HVACR technicians from across the Island to discuss whether “refrigeration technician” should become a compulsory and regulated trade, and what certification standards should apply to those installing heat pumps in Island homes. These discussions are part of PEI’s broader effort to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, ten years ahead of Canada’s national goal, by expanding electrification and scaling up heat-pump adoption across the province. 

HRAI provided a national perspective on how other jurisdictions balance workforce capacity with quality and safety. Seven provinces already classify “refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic” as a compulsory trade, and two (Ontario and Manitoba) have developed streamlined residential pathways (around 4,500 hours) that allow home HVAC installers to become certified more efficiently while maintaining high standards. HRAI also provided background and context on HRAI’s Skills Gap Study, which assessed workforce strengths and training needs within the residential HVAC sector in Ontario. Similar studies, tailored to the Atlantic context, could help PEI and neighboring provinces identify opportunities to strengthen local training capacity and support the growing demand for heat-pump installations. 

While on the Island, Martin and Abhi met with several local HVAC business owners, including intergenerational, homegrown firms that had participated in HRAI’s Heat Pump Symposium in Halifax earlier this year. These conversations offered valuable on-the-ground insights into workforce challenges, certification pathways, and strategies for nurturing Island-based talent. They also visited Holland College, where students in the Energy Systems Engineering Technology program presented trades-focused policy ideas, and toured the Construction Association of PEI’s Net-Zero Tiny Home Training Centre. Both visits highlighted how the construction and HVAC sectors share common challenges and opportunities in supporting Canada’s climate and housing goals. 

Apprenticeship PEI is accepting stakeholder feedback until October 31. HVAC professionals, educators, and employers on the Island are encouraged to share their input by emailing apprenticeship@gov.pe.ca