Private Security Is Growing Is Oversight Keeping Up?

Private Security Is Growing Is Oversight Keeping Up?           By Dale Jodoin Columnist                                               You stop at the grocery store after work. Like most Canadians, you're buying fewer groceries and paying more for them. You count the items in your cart before you reach the checkout, hoping the total won't be any higher than you expect. As you leave, a security guard stands near the doors. Most of us walk right past without giving it a second thought. Maybe we should. Ten years ago, seeing security guards almost everywhere wasn't common. Today they're part of everyday life. We see them in grocery stores, hospitals, apartment buildings, shopping malls and at community events, not just in Durham Region, but across Ontario, Canada and the United States. Somewhere along the way, private security quietly became part of the landscape. Standing there, I found myself asking a simple question. Who's making sure this fast growing industry is growing the right way? According to the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, the number of licensed security guards in Ontario grew from about 92,000 in 2020 to more than 162,000 in 2025. The number of licensed security companies has also continued to grow. That is a remarkable increase in a short period of time. Growth is not the problem. Growth without oversight might be. Before anyone misunderstands, this is not a criticism of security guards. Most are hardworking professionals doing a difficult job. They protect businesses, answer questions, help customers and often calm situations before police are ever called. They deserve our respect. As the demand for security grows, however, so should the expectations placed on the industry. Stores face more theft. Hospitals deal with more violence. Apartment buildings are hiring more security. Public events rely on guards more than ever before. Every day, security guards are expected to make decisions that can affect businesses, customers and families. Some of those decisions have to be made in only a few seconds. Most people never think about security guards until something goes wrong. That is why training matters. There is no public evidence of an increase in assaults by private security guards in Durham Region. The facts simply do not support making that claim. But asking whether oversight is keeping pace with growth is a fair question. Are all security companies giving new guards enough practical training in Ontario law before sending them into the public? Or are some relying too much on learning while on the job? Knowing the law is not optional. Every guard should know exactly what they can do, what they cannot do and when it is time to call the police. A uniform does not make someone a police officer. Every profession has people who make mistakes, and private security is no different. There have been cases in Canada and the United States where guards have gone beyond their legal authority or used force that was later questioned by the courts or investigators. Some incidents have resulted in injuries. Those cases are the exception, not the rule, but they remind us why good oversight protects everyone. Good training teaches more than the law. It teaches when to speak, when to listen and when to step back. It prepares guards for real situations, real pressure and real consequences. Good decisions protect everyone. Poor decisions can change lives forever. The best security guard is the one who never has to use force. Good oversight also protects the many companies that already invest in proper training. Their reputations should not suffer because of the actions of a few. Strong standards build public confidence. They also help employers attract better people and give guards confidence in doing their jobs safely and professionally. Ontario appears to recognize that the industry is changing. The province is reviewing the laws that govern private security. The Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General's 2024 to 2025 Annual Report on the Private Security and Investigative Services Branch also shows that public complaints increased over the previous year. That does not automatically mean performance is getting worse, but it does raise fair questions. How many complaints involve force? How many are justified? How many licenses are suspended? How many companies are inspected each year? Those answers matter because good public policy should be based on facts, not assumptions. The next time you leave a grocery store, hospital or shopping mall and see a security guard standing by the door, don't just see the uniform. See the responsibility that comes with it. The question isn't whether private security is here to stay. It is. The real question is whether Ontario is doing enough to make sure every person wearing that uniform has the training, support and oversight needed to do one of the toughest public facing jobs there is. That is not just a government question. It is a coffee table question.