Building maintenance worker and janitor: tasks and pay
In Quebec, the median hourly wage for an apartment building caretaker is $21; for a building maintenance worker, it's $25, according to Job Bank. A four-dollar gap between two jobs people often mix up. What separates them: repairs, the building's mechanical systems and the level of responsibility. Here are the real tasks, the wages by region and the legal limits to know before you accept a job.
Caretaker or maintenance worker: two jobs people mix up
In the National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021), the two titles are not filed in the same place. The caretaker or janitor belongs to unit group 65312, "Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners": they clean and maintain the inside and outside of buildings and their grounds. The building maintenance worker belongs to unit group 73201, "General building maintenance workers and building superintendents": they do minor repair work, maintain equipment and inspect the building's mechanical systems.
Why does it matter? Because the difference in responsibilities explains the difference in pay, and because a posting titled "caretaker" sometimes describes a maintenance worker's job, or the other way around. The title matters less than the list of tasks.
| Caretaker (NOC 65312) | Maintenance worker (NOC 73201) | |
|---|---|---|
| Core of the job | Cleaning, garbage, floors, grounds, snow | Minor repairs, equipment, inspections |
| Training level (TEER) | 5: on-the-job training | 3: college diploma, apprenticeship or more than six months of on-the-job training |
| Entry requirements | High school diploma may be required, cleaning experience may be required | High school usually required, maintenance experience may be required |
| Median hourly wage in Quebec | $21.00 | $25.00 |
Do it now: reread the last posting that caught your eye and sort each task into one of the two columns. You will know what pay to aim for.
The tasks of a typical week in a building
The duties listed in the NOC translate into a fairly predictable routine, broken up by surprises. In a mid-sized apartment building, a week often looks like this:
- Routine upkeep: empty the garbage and put out the bins, sweep and wash hallways and stairs, clean and disinfect common rooms, wash windows;
- Residents' requests: a door that won't close properly, a dripping tap, a burnt-out hallway bulb, with a call to a tradesperson when it goes beyond minor;
- Getting units ready between tenants: painting, drywall repair, full cleaning;
- Inspections of heating, ventilation and plumbing systems to catch a failure before it gets expensive;
- Outdoors: mowing and flower beds in summer, snow and ice on sidewalks and parking lots in winter;
- Administration, mostly for maintenance workers: supply inventory, small purchases, showing units, sometimes collecting rent.
Employers vary: property management companies, condominium corporations, schools, healthcare facilities, shopping centres, religious buildings. In a school, cleaning dominates; in a 200-unit complex, getting units ready and answering residents' calls take over. Do it now: ask in the interview how many units or square metres you will be responsible for, and how many people share the work.
Pay: what the official numbers say
Job Bank publishes low, median and high hourly wages by region, based on Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey. The median is the midpoint: half of workers earn less, half earn more. The data below was updated on November 19, 2025 and mostly covers 2023-2024.
| Region | Apartment building caretaker (low / median / high) | Building maintenance worker (low / median / high) |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec as a whole | $17.00 / $21.00 / $26.67 | $17.00 / $25.00 / $36.25 |
| Montréal | $16.60 / $19.97 / $25.00 | $17.00 / $22.00 / $33.65 |
| Laval | $18.98 / $21.17 / $23.00 | $16.60 / $25.00 / $33.33 |
| Laurentides | $17.00 / $21.00 / $26.67 | $19.20 / $24.88 / $32.14 (2024 estimate) |
| Capitale-Nationale | $20.00 / $21.00 / $26.75 | $17.00 / $25.00 / $36.25 |
| Montérégie | $16.60 / $22.67 / $28.00 | $17.00 / $25.00 / $36.25 |
| Outaouais | $16.60 / $20.00 / $30.00 | $23.00 / $27.88 / $37.00 |
| Estrie | $16.60 / $21.63 / $41.00 | $19.00 / $22.00 / $28.00 |
Two takeaways stand out. First, the gap between the two jobs shows up mostly at the top of the range: $26.67 versus $36.25 for Quebec as a whole. Technical skills are what push the rate up. Second, these numbers are two years old; since May 1, 2026, the general minimum wage has been $16.60 an hour, and no posting can go lower. Job Bank also reports that 85.4% of workers in the caretaker group in Quebec receive at least one type of benefit, and 83.9% of maintenance workers. Do it now: place your current rate on your region's row before you negotiate.
Small repairs: how far you can go
The NOC is clear: the maintenance worker makes minor repairs and contacts tradespeople when major repairs are needed. The limit isn't just about skill; it's a legal one.
In electrical work, the electrical qualification certificate is mandatory for anyone who installs, maintains, repairs, redoes or modifies an electrical installation outside construction, according to Québec.ca. The definition of an installation includes baseboard heaters, heating panels and the light fixtures connected to them. Replacing a baseboard heater or a light fixture is therefore not a "small job" for a caretaker without a certificate. As for construction work done for others, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) points out that it is the job of a licensed contractor.
| Usually part of the job | Leave it to a qualified professional |
|---|---|
| Painting, drywall repair, joints | Any change to an electrical installation |
| Adjusting a door, replacing a handle | Major heating or plumbing repairs |
| Changing filters, visual inspection of systems | Major construction or renovation work |
Do it now: ask your employer for a written list of what you can do yourself and which contractors to call for the rest. It protects you, and your employer too.
Winter, long hours and on-site housing
Clearing entrances is part of the duties listed for caretakers: snow and ice on sidewalks and parking lots. After a big storm, the day often starts before dawn and ends late. If you go past 40 hours in the week, the overtime rules apply as they do for any employee. For clearing roofs, the safety rule is clear: Quebec's Regulation respecting occupational health and safety requires that any worker exposed to a fall of more than 3 m be protected against falls. To compare with people who make snow their full-time trade, read Snow removal worker in Quebec: pay, hours, licences and how to get hired.
Many resident caretaker jobs come with an on-site apartment. It's a real benefit, but one to put in writing:
- the rent: free, reduced or deducted from your pay, and what it includes (heating, electricity, parking);
- availability: living on site doesn't make all your time paid, but time you must spend on the premises waiting for work is deemed worked under the Act respecting labour standards;
- the end of the job: what happens to the apartment if the position ends, a question to check with the Tribunal administratif du logement (Administrative Housing Tribunal);
- taxes: according to the Canada Revenue Agency, board and lodging provided by an employer can be a taxable benefit, depending on the case; Revenu Québec can confirm the provincial treatment.
Do it now: if you are offered on-site housing, ask that these four points be written into your contract before you sign.
Skills employers want and how to land the job
Employers look for reliability first: a building can't wait for you to show up. Next come versatility (cleaning, painting, small repairs), good contact with residents, the ability to keep an inventory and to flag a problem before it gets worse. According to the NOC, a trade certificate or a building maintenance certificate may be required for some building caretakers, and experience or additional training opens the door to supervisory jobs.
On GPP Emploi, you can create your profile in about 3 minutes, without a résumé, and list your trades, region, availability and target pay. Add the cards that matter here to your Passport, such as your driver's licence and first aid training. Your name and cell number stay hidden: the employer sees an anonymous profile and has to invite you. Check related trades to widen your search:
Do it now: create your free profile and select both janitorial work and small jobs; you will see more matching postings.
In short
- The caretaker (NOC 65312) cleans and maintains; the maintenance worker (NOC 73201) repairs, inspects and manages more.
- In Quebec, the median hourly wage is $21.00 for an apartment building caretaker and $25.00 for a building maintenance worker (Job Bank, 2023-2024).
- Any work on an electrical installation requires a certificate; major work goes to tradespeople and RBQ-licensed contractors.
- Snow removal, long hours and on-site housing: get everything in writing, and protect yourself against falls on roofs.
To see open positions near you, browse the job postings.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a janitor or caretaker earn in Quebec?
According to Job Bank, the median hourly wage for an apartment building caretaker in Quebec is $21.00, with a range of $17.00 to $26.67 (2023-2024 data). The general minimum wage has been $16.60 an hour since May 1, 2026.
What is the difference between a caretaker and a building maintenance worker?
A caretaker mainly handles cleaning and upkeep of the building and grounds. A maintenance worker also makes minor repairs, maintains equipment and inspects the building's mechanical systems. That difference shows in the median wage, which is higher for maintenance workers.
What training do you need to become a caretaker?
For a caretaker job, training usually happens on the job; a high school diploma and cleaning experience may be required. For a maintenance worker job, high school is usually expected, and some employers require a trade certificate or a building maintenance certificate.
Can a caretaker do electrical work?
Not without a certificate. In Quebec, the electrical qualification certificate is mandatory for anyone who installs, maintains, repairs or modifies an electrical installation outside construction, including baseboard heaters and the light fixtures connected to them.
Is a resident caretaker's apartment taxable?
According to the Canada Revenue Agency, board and lodging provided by an employer can be a taxable benefit, depending on the situation. For your specific case, check with the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec.
Sources
- Apartment Building Caretaker in Québec | Wages - Job Bank
- Maintenance Worker, Building in Québec | Wages - Job Bank
- Explore unit group - NOC 2021 65312 Janitors, caretakers and heavy-duty cleaners (Canada.ca)
- Explore unit group - NOC 2021 73201 General building maintenance workers and building superintendents (Canada.ca)
- Certificat en électricité (CÉ) | Gouvernement du Québec (French page)
- Général pour l'entrepreneur - Régie du bâtiment du Québec (French page)
- S-2.1, r. 13 - Règlement sur la santé et la sécurité du travail (LégisQuébec, French version)
- Déterminer si un avantage est imposable - Canada.ca (French version)
