Private Security & Investigative Services

About the Branch

Brochure - The Private Security and Investigative Services Act

Unsolicited Training - Memorandum to all Establishments in Ontario with a Liquor Licence

The primary function of the Private Security and Investigative Services Branch is the licensing of security guards, private investigators and licensed employers.

The branch is comprised of the Registrar's office, which is responsible for the Investigation and Enforcement Unit and the Licensing Unit.

The Registrar

The Registrar is responsible for:

• Administering and enforcing the act and its regulations
• Licensing, regulating and investigating the activities of all licensees
• Conducting quasi-judicial hearings to determine eligibility for licensing
• Providing guidelines and policy to the industry
• Providing information to the public and police concerning the Act
• Maintaining records on registered businesses

About the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005

The private security industry has grown dramatically over the past 40 years, from 4,600 licensed security guards and private investigators in Ontario in 1966, to over 32,000 today. There are approximately 600 licensed agencies in the province providing security guard and private investigation services. The demand for protective services has significantly increased in Ontario over the years.

The new act will help professionalize the security industry, increase public safety and ensure that practitioners received proper training and are qualified to provide protective services. The new Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 was proclaimed in force on August 23, 2007, and is now law. The act is supported by a number of regulations that govern the way the private security industry operates in Ontario. You may view the act and its regulations in their entirety at www.e-laws.gov.on.ca.