Maze Security Insights · May 12, 2026
How to Choose a Licensed Security Guard Company in Canada
Licensing, insurance, training and supervision — the four checks that separate professional security companies from risky ones.
Verify provincial licensing first
Every Canadian province regulates security guards and the companies that employ them. Before signing anything, confirm the company holds a valid business licence in your province — the PSISA registry in Ontario, the Bureau de la sécurité privée in Quebec, or the Security Programs registry in British Columbia. A legitimate company will give you its licence number without hesitation, and every guard on your site should carry an individual licence card you can ask to see.
Ask about training beyond the minimum
Provincial basic training is a floor, not a ceiling. Ask how the company trains guards on de-escalation, report writing, first aid and site-specific procedures. Companies that invest in ongoing training produce guards who solve problems instead of creating them.
Understand how guards are supervised
The difference between a guard who performs and one who sleeps in a stairwell is supervision. Ask how often field supervisors visit sites, how patrol checkpoints are verified, and how you will receive incident reports. GPS-verified patrols and time-stamped digital logs should be standard, not premium add-ons.
Get the insurance details in writing
A professional security company carries commercial general liability insurance and can name your organization as additionally insured on request. If a company hesitates to share a certificate of insurance, that hesitation is your answer.