Radiographic Testing in Montreal
Ionising-radiation imaging (X-ray or gamma) of internal weld structure on film or digital detector.
Greater-Montreal aerospace primes audit Level II/III rosters under both Transport Canada CAR 573 and NAS 410 — keeping a single technician's cert path clean across both regimes is a daily reconciliation problem.
How Radiographic Testing works
A radiation source (X-ray tube, Ir-192 or Co-60) projects through the test piece onto a film or DDA. Differential absorption maps internal density variations — porosity, slag, cracks, lack of fusion — onto the recorded image.
RT in Montreal
Radiographic Testing in Montreal is most often pulled into scope when aerospace (bombardier, pratt & whitney canada) or refining operators need Transport Canada CAR 573-grade evidence that an asset is fit for continued service. The recurring sites — Bombardier Aerospace Mirabel / Dorval and Pratt & Whitney Canada Longueuil — write RT into pre-job inspection plans because ionising-radiation imaging (x-ray or gamma) of internal weld structure on film or digital detector. Local contractors mobilise calibrated equipment, current ASNT Level II / III credentials, and procedure packages tied to ASME Section V and ASTM E94.
Quick facts
- Method: RT — Radiographic Testing
- Service area: Montreal, QC
- Primary industries: Aerospace (Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada), Refining
- Key standards: ASME Section V, ASTM E94
Where RT shows up on Montreal jobs
Industry relevance
Aerospace (Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada) and Refining operators in Montreal pull RT into routine and turnaround scopes. The named recurring sites include Bombardier Aerospace Mirabel / Dorval and Pratt & Whitney Canada Longueuil.
Acceptance criteria are written against Transport Canada CAR 573 and ratified at Level III sign-off for procedure qualification.
Compliance and safety
Radiographic Testing inspections in Montreal reference ASME Section V, ASTM E94, ASTM E1032. Site-specific qualification matrices add operator-specific requirements on top.
Working with NDT Connect-listed providers ensures Level II/III currency, instrument-level calibration traceability, and digital record packages that survive audit retention demands.
Named Montreal facilities served
Radiographic Testing scopes in Montreal recur at the following operators and sites. Local contractors are pre-qualified at most of these gates.
Bombardier Aerospace Mirabel / Dorval
Business jet manufacturing — RT scope routine
Pratt & Whitney Canada Longueuil
Aero engine manufacturing — RT scope routine
Suncor Montreal Refinery
Refinery — RT scope routine
CAE Montreal
Simulators / aerospace — RT scope routine
Applicable standards and codes
Radiographic Testing inspections in Montreal are written and accepted against:
ASME Section V
ASTM E94
ASTM E1032
ISO 17636
API 1104
Local code authorities
Why RT is chosen
Permanent imaging record for audit retention
Excellent at volumetric defects (porosity, inclusions)
Less operator-dependent than UT
Typical applications
- •Pipeline girth-weld inspection per API 1104
- •Pressure-vessel longitudinal and circumferential welds per ASME Section VIII
- •Casting volumetric inspection on safety-critical components
- •Corrosion-under-insulation profile imaging
Montréal, QC runs a mid-band NDT economy that pivots around aerospace (35% of the local industrial base) and refining & petrochem, with secondary load from aluminum. Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Bell Helicopter, CAE feeds the RT workload that defines this market — a top-tier metro of roughly 4.3 million sustains a contractor pool calibrated to that demand cadence.
Anchor employers like Bombardier Aviation Montreal and Suncor Montreal Refinery write Radiographic Testing into recurring scope packages. NAS 410 certification cycles dominate the calendar — pre-qualification at Bombardier Aviation Montreal alone unlocks the volume backbone of the Montréal, QC RT contractor base. Aerospace MRO + manufacturing concentration — Nadcap NDT is dominant credential.
Local Level II inspector wages run roughly $70,000/year per BLS, anchoring the day-rate band that providers quote in Montréal, QC against a cost-of-living index of 82. Spring/Fall TARs compresses the calendar; spot-buy crews cover the surge. RT is consistently among the methods most often written into procedure packs at the city's anchor sites.
Acceptance criteria for RT in the canada east corridor lean on BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT) as the technical floor and on CSA B51 / Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) for documentary survival. Industry-specific: AMS 2644 is the cross-reference the procedure must close on. Owners audit the calibration trail and Level III sign-off on every recurring scope, and Bombardier Aviation Montreal runs its own qualification matrix on top.
- CSA B51
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ)
- CSA Z662
- BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT)
- BPVC Sec VIII Div 1 UW-51
- B31.3 para 344.5
Procurement-grade rates for RT in Montréal, QC: $620–$920/day Level II, $1225/day Level III. BLS reports median Level II inspector wages of $70,000 for the Montréal, QC MSA — the day-rate covers wage plus equipment, mobilisation, calibration overhead, and contractor margin. Transport surcharge: low. Effective multiplier vs national base: ×1.00.
| Line item | Rate | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly labour (Level II) | $78–$115/hr | standard programme rate |
| Hourly labour (Level III) | $153/hr | procedure qualification + disposition |
| Day rate (Level II) | $770/day | 8 hours, ≤30 km from base |
| Equipment surcharge | $280/day | instrument + consumables |
| Mobilisation | $325/trip | low transport-surcharge band |
| Outage / night-shift uplift | +25–40% | turnaround windows and weekend work |
Effective multiplier vs national base: ×1.00 · transport surcharge band: low.
Active RT providers serving Montréal, QC hold pre-qualification packages for Bombardier Aviation Montreal and Pratt & Whitney Canada (Longueuil) as table stakes. The directory filters by Level II/III currency, RT-specific procedure history, and instrument calibration date — letting buyers shortlist crews who can mobilise without a fresh onboarding cycle.
Major regional clients served
- Bombardier Aviation Montreal
- Pratt & Whitney Canada (Longueuil)
- Bell Helicopter Mirabel
- CAE
- Suncor Montreal Refinery
Radiographic Testing (RT) in Montréal, QC is most often pulled into scope when aerospace operators need to qualify engine disc against CSA B51. The technique is the default examination for butt-weld inspection on pipe and plate — and on Montréal, QC jobs, the use case typically narrows to NAS 410 certification where corrosion under sealant is the failure mechanism owners are screening for.
The dominant scope here is engine disc fluorescent PT line. Bombardier Aviation Montreal writes RT into the procedure pack on every cycle, and the local crews who run this scope daily have built the calibration libraries, scan plans, and reporting templates that Montréal, QC owners have come to expect. Aerospace MRO + manufacturing concentration — Nadcap NDT is dominant credential. Procedures cite BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT); deliverables ship as Radiograph (film or DICONDE digital) with Level II/III written disposition.
Worth flagging: radiation hazard — exclusion zones up to 200+ ft. Montréal, QC crews work around this with paired methods (typically UT/PAUT (for laminar flaws) as a crosscheck) and procedure-level mitigations — rbq certification specific to quebec — separate from federal csa. Bombardier Aviation Montreal's site-specific qualification matrix layers an additional acceptance gate on top, so contractors who already hold the RT pre-qual win the bid before rate negotiation even starts.
CINDE — Quebec Section anchors RT certification in Montréal, QC; CWB Quebec handles welding-inspector credentials. Practical experience requirement is roughly 720 total hours to Level II — typically split between vendor classroom time at a regional training provider and supervised on-the-job hours at Bombardier Aviation Montreal. API exam centre access is local; the aerospace operators here generally require currency on all three credential tracks.
- ASNT chapter: CINDE — Quebec Section
- AWS section: CWB Quebec
- API exam centre: hosted locally
How much does RT cost in Montréal, QC?
RT (Radiographic Testing) day-rates in Montréal, QC typically clear at $770/day for Level II crews, with the pricing multiplier on the national base running ×1.00 (transport surcharge band: low). Local Level II inspector wages average $70,000/year per BLS, which anchors that day-rate band. Always solicit at least three parallel quotes before committing programme spend.
Which Montréal, QC sites use RT most often?
Bombardier Aviation Montreal and Pratt & Whitney Canada (Longueuil) are the high-volume RT buyers in Montréal, QC. The refinery footprint at Suncor Montreal Refinery is a recurring RT mobilisation point. Pre-qualification at these gates is what unlocks the volume contracts.
What credentials do RT inspectors need to work in Montréal, QC?
Working RT scope in Montréal, QC requires ASNT Level II for the method (roughly 720 total training hours to qualify), plus CINDE — Quebec Section membership is common. AWS CWI is required for welding-related scope; API 510/570/653 tickets unlock pressure-equipment work. An API exam centre is hosted in Montréal, QC itself.
What aerospace failure modes does RT screen for in Montréal, QC?
On aerospace jobs in Montréal, QC, RT is most often called for composite delamination after impact screening. Recurring scope on NAS 410 certification cycles drives the volume. The technique sits inside CSA B51's acceptance framework, and local crews build inspection plans around the failure modes the aerospace owners audit hardest.
How fast can a RT crew mobilise in Montréal, QC?
Routine RT scope in Montréal, QC typically picks up a certified crew within 24–72 hours of posting a request — the established contractor base around Bombardier Aviation Montreal keeps mobilisation lead times short. Outage windows and turnaround support are negotiated against rotation; post the scope to NDT Connect to receive parallel quotes from providers already pre-qualified at Montréal, QC sites.
What standards govern RT acceptance in Montréal, QC?
RT examinations in Montréal, QC reference BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT) / BPVC Sec VIII Div 1 UW-51 as the technical floor and CSA B51, Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) for documentary compliance. Bombardier Aviation Montreal's qualification matrix layers an additional customer-specific spec on top — procedures must close on all three before the crew is cleared at the gate.
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Get a free quote todayOther NDT methods in Montreal
Ultrasonic Testing
UT
High-frequency sound-wave inspection for wall thickness, weld integrity and internal flaw detection.
Magnetic Particle Testing
MT
Surface and near-surface crack detection on ferromagnetic materials via magnetic flux leakage.
Liquid Penetrant Testing
PT
Capillary-action surface flaw detection on any non-porous material using dye or fluorescent penetrant.
Visual Testing
VT
Code-required direct or remote visual examination of as-fabricated and in-service surfaces.
Radiographic Testing in nearby cities
Verified Montréal, QC Inspection-Market Data
Hard numbers from BLS, EIA, AAPA, Census & API directories — anchoring this page to Montréal, QC's actual NDT market, not a generic template.
- Local Wage Anchor — Level II NDT Technician
- $70K/yr typical for Montréal, QC
- Metro Industrial Base
- 4.3M people in Montréal, QC
- Sector Mix (NDT Demand Drivers)
- Aerospace (35%) · Refining & Petrochem (20%) · Aluminum (15%)
- Refinery Inventory
- 2+ refineries — Suncor Montreal Refinery, Valero Saint-Romuald (Lévis)
- Active API-Certified Inspectors (regional)
- ~200 API 510 · ~240 API 570 · ~120 API 653
- ASNT Chapter / Community
- CINDE — Quebec Section
- Cost-of-Living Impact on Rate Cards
- COL index 82.0 (18.0 pts below national avg) · transport surcharge band: low
Source: Statistics Canada Montreal CMA 2024
Source: US Census ACS 2023
Source: BEA Regional Accounts 2023
Source: EIA Refinery Capacity Report Jan 2025
Source: API ICP roster + state directories (est.)
Source: ASNT chapter directory
Source: C2ER ACCRA COL Index 2024
Continue Reading — In-Depth Guides
Authored by ASNT Level III inspectors. Real procedures, real numbers, real codes.
- Radiographic Testing — Complete GuideSources, exposure, IQIs, ASME V, digital RT.
- Radiographic Testing MethodMethod-level overview, sources, films, sensors.
- How to Interpret Radiograph Weld DefectsIdentify slag, porosity, LOF on RT film.
- NDT Inspector Salary Guide [2026]US pay by certification level, method & industry — and how to earn more.
- NDT Inspection Cost Index [2026]US inspection rates by method & region, and what moves the price.
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