Canadian Security Industry Glossary.
The Canadian security industry is dense with acronyms, licensing frameworks, and regulatory bodies. This glossary translates the ones you'll encounter most when working with a professional security provider — written for procurement teams, facility managers, and property owners.
PSISA
Ontario's Private Security and Investigative Services Act — the regulatory framework governing every private security officer working in Ontario. Requires a 40-hour Ministry-approved training program, criminal-record clearance, and a passing score on the provincial licensing exam.
SSIA
Alberta's Security Services and Investigators Act — Alberta's equivalent to Ontario's PSISA. Administered by the Solicitor General. 40-hour basic training, criminal record check, and provincial exam required for every Alberta-licensed officer.
BSP
Bureau de la sécurité privée — Quebec's private-security regulator, administering the Loi sur la sécurité privée. Distinct from other provinces in requiring francophone service delivery and its own permis d'agent.
CCIB
Canadian Council for Indigenous Business — the national body certifying Indigenous-owned businesses. Our CCIB certification confirms Indigenous Security Services is a 100% Indigenous-owned Canadian firm, verifiable through the CCIB registry.
Fire watch
A certified security service performed when a building's fire alarm, sprinkler, or suppression system is temporarily impaired (e.g. during construction hot work). Fire-watch officers walk a 30-minute continuous patrol cycle and produce time-stamped logs meeting NFPA 101 and provincial fire-code expectations.
Mobile patrol
A security service performed by a licensed officer in a marked GPS-tracked vehicle who visits a client property on a randomised schedule. Each patrol includes perimeter checks, door/window verification, and a photo-documented digital report.
NVCI
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention — an internationally-recognised de-escalation certification widely required for healthcare and community-facing security work. Every officer we deploy in healthcare settings holds current NVCI or an equivalent program.
OCAP®
Ownership, Control, Access, Possession — the First Nations principles governing how community data is handled. Our Indigenous community security engagements follow OCAP® — the community controls the data about the community.
PHIPA
Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act — the privacy law governing patient health information. Officers assigned to Ontario healthcare posts complete PHIPA training so they never handle patient information outside their scope.
ULC-listed monitoring
Underwriters Laboratories of Canada certification for alarm-monitoring stations. Only ULC-listed stations meet insurance-industry standards. We integrate with any ULC-listed monitoring station your business uses.
Key holding
A security service where a licensed provider holds a sealed copy of your building keys and responds — verifiably — to alarm activations, scheduled openings, or emergency access requirements. Chain-of-custody is documented at every handoff.
Concierge security
Uniformed static-post security officers stationed at the reception desk of a residential or commercial building. Responsibilities include visitor management, mail/package intake, incident logging, and calm resident-facing communication.
Executive protection
Discreet close-protection services for corporate executives, dignitaries, celebrities, or high-net-worth principals. Includes threat assessment, advance reconnaissance, close-protection operatives, and secure ground transport.
WSIB
Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board — the workers-compensation authority. Our WSIB good standing means clearance certificates are issued the same day for any Ontario procurement portal.
Smart Serve
Ontario's mandatory alcohol-service training program. Officers working licensed events in Ontario hold current Smart Serve. Equivalent programs exist in other provinces (e.g. ProServe in Alberta, Serving It Right in BC).
Vulnerable Sector clearance
An enhanced criminal-record check required for anyone working with children, seniors, or vulnerable populations. Available on every officer we assign to school, healthcare, or family-adjacent posts.
Post orders
The site-specific written operating manual for a security post. Includes access rules, escalation ladders, tenant preferences, and emergency procedures. Post orders are reviewed and updated quarterly on every Indigenous Security Services contract.
Alarm response
A licensed physical response to an activated alarm system. Our target response time is 20 minutes in primary Canadian service areas. Every response produces a written incident report inside 24 hours.
MTSA
Marine Transportation Security Act — federal regulation governing security at Canadian ports and marine facilities. Halifax, Vancouver, and Saint John port operations all fall under MTSA compliance.
Common Core
Provincial certification standard for surface and underground mining operations in some provinces. Officers assigned to active mine sites hold the specific Common Core version their operator requires.
Code White
Hospital code declared when a patient, family member, or visitor becomes aggressive. Our healthcare security officers are trained specifically for Code White response with NVCI-first de-escalation.
Additional insured
A contractual endorsement adding your company (typically the general contractor or property owner) as an insured party on our $2M CGL policy. Complimentary on all corporate and construction contracts.
First Nation Police
Community-based police services serving specific First Nation communities in some provinces. Distinct from the RCMP. Our Indigenous community security scopes always coordinate directly with the applicable First Nation Police service.
Trespass to Property Act
Provincial legislation authorising property owners (and their agents, including licensed security officers) to remove unauthorised individuals from private property. Every static-post officer we deploy operates within their provincial trespass authority.
Cannabis Act compliance
Federal cannabis regulation requiring screening and security-standards adherence for anyone working at a licensed producer, cultivator, or distributor. Every officer we assign to a cannabis facility completes Cannabis Act-compliant screening.
ASIS International
The global professional association for security-management practitioners. Our senior supervisors participate in the ASIS Canada chapter for professional development and peer benchmarking.