Forestry pay by role
Forestry pay is mostly day-rate or piece-rate rather than a flat salary, and it varies a lot by role, region, employer, and season.
Key facts
- Skidder operator
- $20.00-40.00/hour
- Source: Job Bank, updated November 19, 2025
- Certified faller
- $350-500/day (estimate)
- Source: industry planning research
- Tree planter
- $150-250/day (estimate)
- Source: industry planning research
- Mill worker
- $25-35/hour (estimate)
- Source: industry planning research
Most of the table below carries over 2025 planning estimates and has not been re-verified against a current job posting, union scale, or Job Bank listing -- treat those figures as roughly accurate and confirm with the employer or a current posting before relying on them. The skidder operator row is the one exception: it's now sourced to Government of Canada Job Bank's wage report for the closest matching occupation. Last checked 2026-09-08.
| Role | Typical rate | Season | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tree planter | $150-250/day (estimate, unconfirmed) | 2-3 months | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Certified faller | $350-500/day (estimate, unconfirmed) | 8-10 months | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Skidder operator | $20.00-40.00/hour | 8-10 months | Job Bank, updated November 19, 2025 |
| Processor operator | $320-420/day (estimate, unconfirmed) | 8-10 months | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Logging truck driver | $30-40/hour (estimate, unconfirmed) | 8-10 months | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Helicopter logger | $500-700/day (estimate, unconfirmed) | seasonal, coastal | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Wildfire fighter | $25-35/hour (estimate, unconfirmed) | 3-5 months, summer | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Mill worker | $25-35/hour (estimate, unconfirmed) | year-round | estimate, unconfirmed |
| Supervisor | $35-45/hour (estimate, unconfirmed) | 8-10 months to year-round | estimate, unconfirmed |
Why pay varies so much
Tree planting is piece-rate (paid per tree), so pay depends directly on terrain, tree density, and how fast you can safely work -- it climbs steeply with experience over a season or two. Fallers and processor operators are usually paid a day rate that reflects certification, equipment ownership, and region. Skidder operators show up in Job Bank's wage data as an hourly rate rather than a day rate. Mill and wildfire roles are hourly and closer to a standard wage. Seasonal work also means budgeting for a 4-6 month off-season in many harvesting and planting roles, unlike year-round mill work.
Sources
- Government of Canada Job Bank -- Operator, Skidder - Logging, Canada — accessed 2026-09-08, wages updated November 19, 2025.
Every other rate in the table above remains an unconfirmed 2025 planning estimate -- see the tree planter row's link to /planting-pay/ for the one other row with real, sourced current data.
Frequently asked questions
Is $400/day tree planting realistic?
Roughly: it's realistic for an experienced 'highballer' planting 3,000+ trees a day at a typical per-tree rate, but most rookies land closer to $100-150/day in their first weeks and $150-250/day by the end of a season (2025 estimate, unconfirmed). It's a skill and fitness curve, not a starting rate.
Which company pays the most?
West Fraser and Canfor are generally cited as strong payers in BC; Irving is the comparable reference point in the Maritimes. Contractors sometimes beat direct-hire company rates for equipment operators, and union coverage (IWA/USW in some regions) adds benefits on top of base rate. None of this is sourced to a specific current pay scale -- confirm with the employer.
What does fire season do to logging pay?
Fire bans and shutdown orders can pause harvesting income for 2-6 weeks at a time in dry summers. Many crews shift to wildfire suppression work (roughly $25-35/hour, 2025 estimate, unconfirmed) for the duration, or fall back on EI after a qualifying gap.
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