Is this industry getting better or worse?

There are more companies now in my city, but less and less sites are becoming available it seems in my eyes. There are more guards, the available jobs. So many clients are hiring Security, who don't really know what they want from Security, or even have the slightest idea what a guards duties are. The pay has not increased, even though in Ontario there is new government guidelines that you must follow, and pay nearly $500 in courses to obtain a Security license.

I used to be a guard back in 2003-2007, then took a seven year break into other jobs, and came back to the industry in 2014. Now, it seems like there is less respect for Guards from Security companies, as well as from clients. To me the industry has changed for the worse. There is less training, less opportunities, and no respect what so ever!

The sites nowadays seem to be standing inside of Walmart, or outside a grocery store, or inside a bank. There seems to be no guard shack sites, less training, less courses for advancement, and less interactions with people that make you feel your job is important. Hell, there are even less Supervisor jobs! I haven't worked a site yet with one!

I feel my job is to show up at work, and stay awake! That is the basis of what i feel Security has become. To me.......the industry is dying. Unless you see something i don't?

Contract security in Ontario is far from dying. Its booming in fact. Clients are getting insurance cuts by using contract security which beats physical costly upgrades to their facilities. Something happens, you blame a guard and the guard is removed/canned or maybe even change security companies. Client is off the hook.

Ontario has a dispose-a-guard system. Shameful!! Government is milking it as well with the costs involved in getting a guard license. Want-to-be guard pays for course, testing and license. Training providers pay taxes on the money made from courses. And all to make minimum wage.

Oh, and the big looking out for you unions that have done NOTHING to fight for a living wage for the security industry.....but grab yours dues quick enough....

Some from out west or Quebec simply don't understand how bad it is in Ontario.

I went to a job fair (security) a short while ago. Two phone calls and three emails prompted me to go for shits and giggles. I'm retired and pick and chose what interests me at the time.

It was for a sizable company. I talked to the recruiter. We discussed wages for various positions. I expressed my view to him. Sadly, there were hungry for a job types there and in a position of having to settle for anything they can get. 

Right now it is disgusting for young people trying to get a start. If you're in Ontario get a trade (plumbing, electrician....) as for law enforcement, every one vacancy has hundreds of applicants. That translates in your chances being slim to none!

In Alberta  the average wage has increased from 15.25 to an average of 18.10. I have found that Security is starting to get more respect than it did a few years back and appears to be becoming more organized than before. It maybe because of the of oil camps that people are more used to dealing with security and getting to know them.

Sajakawa wrote:In Alberta  the average wage has increased from 15.25 to an average of 18.10. I have found that Security is starting to get more respect than it did a few years back and appears to be becoming more organized than before. It maybe because of the of oil camps that people are more used to dealing with security and getting to know them.

I agree Sajakwa. Also working in health care facilities, Alarm response, Patrolling communities etc all seem to increase the professionalism of most security agents. With the economy not doing so well in Alberta this may help guard do a better job also as they can not just jump from company to company any longer.

Ontario -

Taken from the Paladin Security job web site -

http://www.careerbuilder.ca/jobs/customer-service/oakville/security-guard-milton-district-hospital-full-time-x4-healthcare/j3j07j6k32gr92frlxh/?utm_campaign=Vip0&utm_medium=aggregator&SiteID=sep_cbc001_vip0&utm_source=indeed.com&Job_DID=J3J07J6K32GR92FRLXH

Security Guard- Milton District Hospital - Full Time x4 (Healthcare)
To: All Security Personnel

From:Sharlin Alpin

Date:April 6, 2017

Closing Date: April 30, 2017 @ 1700 hrs

Re: Job Posting

Position: Security Guard

Site: Halton Health Care Services – Milton Hospital

City: Milton, ON

Status:Full -Time

Hours:Rotating Continental (0700-1900/ 1900-0700)

Pay Rate: $12.50/hour

......."Prerequisites: At the time of the interview, applicants must be able to produce proof of completion of the following:

1.Immunization Record
2.Successful completion of Healthcare Security Training (online or in class will be accepted)
3.Successful completion of Paladin’s online Dealing with Persons with Mental Illness
4.First Aid & CRP Level C
5.Use of Force
6.Non-Violent Crisis Intervention
7.Basic Security Training
8.A Valid Ontario Security Guard License"

And people wonder why I have a hard critique of contract security in Ontario.

Paladin Security is a player in Health Care security in the Greater Toronto Area. They also hold the contract for St Joseph's Mental Health facility here in Hamilton. https://www.stjoes.ca/hospital-services/mental-health-addiction-services

And the pay is the same for this facility! The facility has a history, in it's short existence, for assaults on staff by patients.

Getting paid $12/hr for sitting in a guard shack might be one thing, but $12/hr for working in a Mental Health Care Facility or major hospital? Ontario has some serious pay issues in the security industry. 

Security is a necessary evil (and I quote a former HR Manager of a university). Most aim to pay as little as the possible can for security services. Facilities such as the aforementioned love the "dispose-a-guard" system where security deficits can be explained away by a lazy guard and the problem solved by having them removed by the security service provider.

It is my opinion the hospitals and mental health care units should be legislated to have properly trained in-house security guards at the least and would prefer to see them mandated to use special constables.