A property manager in Edmonton's Mill Woods district was billed for patrol visits a rotating security company could not prove had happened, and wanted to know exactly who to contact once the company itself stopped responding to emails entirely. That question, who actually regulates security companies in Alberta, comes up more often than most business owners expect.
Every licensed security company and guard in Alberta answers to the same regulator, regardless of which company you hired, including providers offering on-site guard services or mobile patrol. Knowing that process protects you whether you are a business comparing providers or a resident who had a bad experience with a guard on someone else's property.
Canadian Shield Security operates under the same Security Services and Investigators Act (Alberta) licensing as every other provider in the province, and believes clients should know exactly how to hold any security company accountable, including us.
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To file a complaint about a security company in Alberta, first raise the issue directly with the company. If it goes unresolved, submit a formal complaint to Security Programs at Alberta Justice, the regulator under the Security Services and Investigators Act. Security Programs must respond within 30 days and complete any investigation within 90 days. |
What Counts as a Valid Complaint Against a Security Company in Alberta?
A valid regulatory complaint involves conduct covered by the Security Services and Investigators Act (Alberta): an unlicensed guard, excessive force during a detention, a guard acting outside their authority, or a company failing to meet licensing standards. Security Programs, the branch of Alberta Justice that regulates the industry, handles these specific issues.
This standard applies the same way whether the company involved is a large national firm or a small local operator. Size and reputation do not change what Security Programs is legally required to investigate once a valid complaint is filed correctly.
Billing disagreements, missed patrol visits without a safety concern, or a contract dispute are usually civil matters rather than regulatory ones. They may still be worth raising with the company or resolving through small claims court, but they sit outside what Security Programs investigates.
The distinction matters because it determines where your time is best spent. A billing dispute sent to Security Programs will likely be redirected back to the company or small claims court, delaying an actual resolution, while a genuine conduct issue sent only to the company without ever reaching Security Programs may never get formally reviewed at all.
Property managers dealing with a pattern of problems, rather than a single incident, should document each occurrence separately with its own date and description. Security Programs treats a documented pattern of licensing or conduct issues more seriously than a single vague complaint about general dissatisfaction.
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If a guard's conduct involved a crime, such as assault or theft, contact Edmonton Police Service first. A regulatory complaint to Security Programs does not replace reporting a crime. |
Start With the Security Company Itself
Most Alberta security companies, including Canadian Shield Security, want to know about a legitimate problem before it becomes a formal complaint. Put the issue in writing by email, describe exactly what happened, when, and which guard or shift was involved, and give the company a reasonable chance to respond.
Keep a copy of every message sent and received. If the complaint later goes to Security Programs, this record of good-faith contact with the company strengthens the case and shows the regulator you tried to resolve it directly first.
Ask specifically who at the company handles client concerns and how quickly they respond. A provider that cannot answer this simple question during a free consultation is telling you something about how a real complaint would be handled later.
This is also a fair question to ask a provider you are considering switching to. A company confident in its own conduct standards should have no trouble explaining its internal process before you sign anything.
How to File a Formal Complaint With Security Programs Alberta
If the company does not resolve the issue, Security Programs accepts complaints through an online form on alberta.ca, by mail, or by phone. The complaint should name the company, the specific guard if known, the date and location of the incident, and what outcome you are seeking.
Complaints can also be mailed directly to the Complaints Coordinator, Security Programs, Alberta Justice, 9th Floor, 10365 97 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3W7. Security Programs does not accept anonymous complaints that lack enough detail to investigate, so specifics matter more than general frustration.
Include names, dates, shift times, and the specific location if the incident happened at a property with multiple posts. A complaint that says a guard was rude on an unspecified night is far harder to investigate than one naming the exact date, time, and post where the interaction happened.
Where to Send Different Types of Security Complaints
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Type of Issue |
Who Handles It |
How to Contact |
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Licensing or conduct violation |
Security Programs, Alberta Justice |
alberta.ca complaint form, mail, or phone 1-877-462-0791 |
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Criminal conduct (assault, theft) |
Edmonton Police Service |
911 for emergencies, non-emergency line otherwise |
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Billing or contract dispute |
The company, then small claims court |
Written notice to the company first |
What Happens After You File a Complaint
Security Programs must respond to your complaint in writing within 30 days of receiving it. Depending on the nature of the issue, this response may resolve the matter directly or trigger a formal investigation into the company or guard involved.
If a formal investigation happens, Security Programs will notify you of the decision in writing within 90 days. If you disagree with that decision, you can request a review by the Director of Law Enforcement within 30 days of receiving it, by submitting a letter explaining why.
This timeline can feel slow if you are dealing with an ongoing safety concern at your property. If the issue is active and urgent rather than historical, address the immediate safety risk first, including switching providers if needed, while the regulatory complaint proceeds separately in the background.
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Security Programs regulates licensing and conduct standards. It does not award financial compensation for damages, missed work, or billing disputes, those remain civil matters handled outside this process. |
When to Contact Edmonton Police Service Instead
Some incidents involving a security guard are criminal matters first and regulatory matters second. Assault, theft, unlawful detention beyond the guard's authority, or property damage should go to Edmonton Police Service, either through 911 for an active emergency or the non-emergency line afterward.
A regulatory complaint to Security Programs can still follow a police report. The two processes are separate and do not conflict, a criminal investigation addresses the crime, while Security Programs addresses whether the company's licence or the guard's conduct met SSIA standards.
Edmonton Police Service can also confirm whether a specific incident is being treated as criminal, which can help you decide whether to file with Security Programs immediately or wait until the police matter reaches a conclusion first.
Neither process requires waiting for the other to finish before starting. A property manager can file a police report the same day as an incident and submit a Security Programs complaint the following week without either agency treating the other's involvement as a conflict.
How to Verify a Security Company's SSIA Licence Before You Hire
Alberta's Business Query and Licence Status search tool, available through alberta.ca, lets anyone check whether a security company and its individual guards hold a current licence under the Security Services and Investigators Act (Alberta) before signing a contract.
Running this check before hiring, not after a problem happens, is the single most effective way an Edmonton business or resident can avoid dealing with an unlicensed or previously sanctioned provider in the first place.
The same tool works both ways. A business considering Canadian Shield Security, or any other Edmonton provider, can and should confirm licensing independently rather than relying only on what a sales representative says during a pitch.
How Canadian Shield Security Handles Client Concerns
Canadian Shield Security confirms SSIA licensing and runs background checks for every guard before deployment across Downtown T5J, Nisku T9E, and Mill Woods T6K properties, and takes client concerns seriously enough to document this complaint process publicly rather than hoping clients never need it.
A free consultation and site assessment is also the right time to ask a provider directly how they handle client concerns, before a contract is signed rather than after something goes wrong.
Property managers switching providers after a bad experience elsewhere often ask what changed. The honest answer is usually nothing about the regulation, every Alberta security company answers to the same Security Programs oversight, what differs is how seriously each company treats a concern before it needs to become a formal complaint at all.
Conclusion
Most problems with a security company get resolved by raising them directly and in writing. When that fails, Security Programs at Alberta Justice provides a real, no-cost regulatory path with defined response timelines, separate from criminal matters that belong with Edmonton Police Service.
None of this replaces basic due diligence before signing a contract in the first place. Checking a company's licence status and asking how they handle concerns costs nothing and prevents most complaints from ever needing to happen. Call 1 (800) 326-7879 if you have questions about how Canadian Shield Security handles licensing, conduct, or client concerns.
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Canadian Shield Security serves Edmonton 24/7. Free consultation, no hidden fees. Call 1 (800) 326-7879. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who regulates security companies in Alberta?
Security Programs, part of Alberta Justice, regulates every licensed security company and guard in the province under the Security Services and Investigators Act (Alberta). This includes licensing, conduct standards, and formal complaint investigations. Canadian Shield Security guards and business licences fall under this same regulatory oversight, the same as any other licensed provider in Alberta.
Does filing a complaint against a security company cost anything?
No. Filing a complaint with Security Programs about a security company or guard in Alberta does not cost anything. You can submit it online through the alberta.ca complaint form, by mail, or by phone. Billing disputes over unpaid invoices or contract disagreements are civil matters and may involve small claims court fees instead.
Does Canadian Shield Security operate in Sherwood Park and other Edmonton-area suburbs?
Yes. Canadian Shield Security operates across Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Leduc, Beaumont, and greater Edmonton, including Downtown T5J and Mill Woods T6K. Every guard and licence is registered with Security Programs under the Security Services and Investigators Act (Alberta). Call 1 (800) 326-7879 with any licensing question about our coverage area.
How long does Security Programs take to investigate a complaint in Alberta?
Security Programs must respond to your complaint in writing within 30 days of receiving it. If a formal investigation follows, you will be notified of the decision in writing within 90 days. You can request a review by the Director of Law Enforcement within 30 days of receiving that decision if you disagree with it.
Can I check if a security company is properly licensed before hiring them?
Yes. Alberta's Business Query and Licence Status search tool lets anyone confirm whether a security company and its individual guards hold a valid licence under the Security Services and Investigators Act (Alberta) before signing a contract, at no cost and without needing an account.
