Jobs by role
Forklift operator jobs in the GTA
Counterbalance, reach truck, order picker and walkie roles in warehouses, distribution centres and plants across the GTA. Certified operators are the most requested workers in our database.
Open now
Current openings
Nothing posted right now
Roles like this open regularly, and many are filled from registered candidates before they are posted. Register once and a recruiter will call when something suitable comes in.
Or call the office
647-627-9754
Mon–Fri 7am–8pm · Sat–Sun 8am–6pm
About the role
The work
Forklift operators are the workers our clients ask for most. Every distribution centre, freight terminal and manufacturing plant needs people who can move product safely and quickly, and a certified operator with a clean record and a good attendance history can choose between sites.
The roles vary more than the title suggests. Counterbalance work is loading and unloading trailers on the dock. Reach-truck work is put-away and replenishment in narrow aisles at height. Order-picker (cherry-picker) work is case picking from an elevated platform. Walkie and pallet-jack work moves product on the floor. Most employers want at least one of these on your certificate and experience on their specific equipment.
We place forklift operators on temporary, temp-to-perm and permanent terms, on all three shifts, and we verify certification for every placement so you are never sent to a site your ticket does not cover.
Pay
Typical pay in the GTA
Typical range across our GTA forklift placements. Pay is set by each employer and varies with equipment, shift and site.
$20 to $26 an hour
- Reach-truck and order-picker experience pays at the top of the range
- Nights and weekends usually carry a $1 to $2 premium
- Freezer and cold-storage operators earn more than dry warehousing
- Freight-terminal and airport-area sites often add a shift or security premium
Requirements
What you need to start
Forklift certification
A current certificate from a recognised training provider showing the classes of equipment you are trained on. Ontario employers must ensure operators are competent; a certificate is how that is proven.
Practical experience
Most employers want six months or more on the equipment they use. Tell us honestly which machines you have run; we match you to sites accordingly.
WHMIS and safety footwear
WHMIS 2015 and CSA-approved safety boots before the first shift.
Clean record and attendance
References are checked for safety incidents and attendance. Some sites also require a criminal record check.
Recertification
Certificates are typically valid for three years. We can arrange recertification if yours is due.
A typical shift
What a forklift shift looks like
A shift starts with a pre-operation inspection of the truck: forks, mast, tires, horn, lights, battery or propane, and a check of the logbook. In many buildings you will scan onto a specific machine. Then you are assigned to the dock, to put-away or replenishment, or to picking, depending on your certification and the day's volume.
Dock work is unloading inbound trailers, staging and verifying pallets, and loading outbound, often to a schedule of trailer departures. Reach-truck work follows a WMS queue on an RF unit: put-aways to racking, replenishing pick faces, cycle counts. Order-picker work means case picking at height, so a harness and tether are standard.
Shifts run around 8 to 8.5 hours with scheduled breaks, on days, afternoons or nights. Freezer sites rotate operators out of the cold on a fixed cycle and provide insulated gear.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can I get a forklift job without a certificate?
Rarely. Employers need proof of training before you operate. If you have warehouse experience but no ticket, we can point you to a training provider, and some clients will train workers they have already hired as general labour.
Which forklift class pays the most?
Reach truck and order picker generally pay more than counterbalance because narrow-aisle and at-height work is harder to staff. Operators certified on all three have the most options.
How quickly can I start?
Once your certificate and references are verified, often within a few days. Forklift roles are in constant demand across Brampton, Mississauga and Vaughan.
Do you check my certificate?
Yes, with the training provider. It protects you as much as the client: you will not be placed on equipment you are not certified for.
Are forklift jobs temporary or permanent?
Both. Many start as temp-to-perm, with the employer taking you on directly after a set number of hours. Permanent forklift roles are also filled directly.
More
By city and related roles
- Forklift operator jobs in BramptonBrampton's distribution centres and intermodal warehouses hire more forklift operators than any other city we serve.
- Forklift operator jobs in MississaugaFreight terminals around Pearson and distribution centres in Heartland and the Dixie corridor keep Mississauga forklift operators busy on every shift.
- Forklift operator jobs in VaughanFood and consumer-goods distribution in Concord and along Highway 400 makes Vaughan a steady market for certified forklift operators, twenty minutes from our office.
- Warehouse jobsOrder picking, packing, shipping and receiving, material handling and inventory roles in distribution centres across the GTA.
- Shipper / receiver jobsDock control, inbound verification, WMS transactions and outbound staging in warehouses and plants across the GTA.
- General labour jobsEntry-level warehouse, production, packaging and loading roles that start quickly and lead to certified work.
- For employers: warehouse staffingPickers, packers, forklift operators, shippers and general labour for distribution centres, 3PLs and fulfilment operations.
Not seeing the right role?
Register your resume once and a recruiter will call when something suitable opens up, often before it is posted. There is never a fee to job seekers.