Most businesses in Edmonton and Calgary hire a security company after an incident, not before one. A break-in, a violent disturbance, or a costly theft forces the conversation. By that point, there is no time to properly vet providers — and rushed decisions lead to contracts that underdeliver. The right questions asked before signing any security contract can be the difference between a company that shows up and one that keeps showing up.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Security Company in Alberta

Question 1: Are Your Guards Licensed Under the Alberta Security Services and Investigators Act?

This is non-negotiable and should be your first question. Every security guard in Alberta must hold a valid licence under the Security Services and Investigators Act (SSIA). Ask for the specific licence numbers of the guards who will be assigned to your site.

A company that hesitates on this question should be disqualified immediately. Alpine Protection Services has been fully licensed in Alberta since 2015 — we provide licence numbers for assigned guards in every service agreement.

Question 2: What Is Your Guard Turnover Rate?

The security industry in Canada has notoriously high turnover, national averages are above 100% annually. High turnover means the person assigned to your site changes frequently, institutional knowledge of your property is lost, and the quality of protection is inconsistent. Ask for a specific number. If they cannot provide one, that is your answer.

Question 3: What Does Your Liability Insurance Cover?

Ask for a Certificate of Insurance — not a verbal assurance. A legitimate security company should carry commercial general liability insurance with a minimum of $2 million per occurrence, and ideally $5 million. Ask specifically whether the policy covers incidents that occur during security operations on your property.

Question 4: How Do You Handle No-Shows and Shift Gaps?

Ask: ‘If an assigned guard calls in sick at 11pm, what is your protocol? How quickly can you fill the shift?’ A professional security company has an on-call pool and a dispatch system that can fill shift gaps within 1–2 hours. A company that cannot clearly describe this protocol will leave you exposed when it matters most.

Question 5: What Does Your Incident Report Look Like?

Ask to see a blank incident report template and a sample completed report before signing. A quality incident report answers six questions: what, where, when, who, action taken, and follow-up required. For more on what a proper report looks like, read a step-by-step guide to writing a security guard incident report.

Question 6: Do You Have Experience in My Specific Industry?

A guard trained primarily for retail loss prevention should not be deployed to a remote oil sands site without additional preparation. Ask for examples of clients served in your specific sector. For example, Alpine has dedicated protocols for construction site security in Edmonton that differ significantly from retail or residential assignments.

Question 7: What Is Your Response Time Guarantee?

For mobile patrol clients, response time to an alarm or incident call is a critical performance metric. Ask: ‘What is your guaranteed response time for a triggered alarm at my property?’ and ‘Is this written into the contract?’ A company that cannot commit to a response time in writing is not accountable for that metric.

Question 8: Are Your Guards Trained in First Aid and De-Escalation?

Ask for proof of first aid certification and ask specifically what de-escalation training guards receive. For many environments, healthcare, residential, retail, these skills are essential. All Alpine guards hold current Standard First Aid and CPR certification as a minimum condition of employment.

Question 9: Do You Have a Local Supervisor I Can Reach 24/7?

A company headquartered in Toronto that dispatches guards to Edmonton may not have a local operational supervisor available when something goes wrong at 3am. Ask: ‘Who is my point of contact if I need to escalate an issue at 2am? Is this person in Edmonton?’ Alpine Protection Services is Edmonton-based, our operations team is locally available 24/7.

Question 10: Can You Provide 3 Client References in Alberta?

References are the most underused vetting tool in the security guard procurement process. Ask for three references, ideally in your industry or similar site type, and actually call them. Ask each reference two questions: ‘Did the guards show up reliably?’ and ‘How did the company handle the first problem that came up?’

Summary Checklist

Question	What a Good Answer Looks Like	Red Flag
SSIA licence?	Specific licence numbers provided, verifiable online	‘We are certified’ without licence number
Turnover rate?	Below 80% annually, consistent site assignments	Deflection without a number
Insurance?	$2M+ per occurrence, Certificate of Insurance provided	Verbal assurance only
No-show protocol?	On-call pool, 1–3 hour fill time, client notification	‘We will figure it out’
Incident report sample?	6-element format, digital submission within 2 hours	Handwritten notes, no timestamp
Industry experience?	Named sector clients, references available	Vague claims of ‘diverse experience’
Response time?	Written into contract with specific minutes	No contractual commitment
First aid + de-escalation?	Certification proof available	‘Standard training’ without specifics
Local supervisor 24/7?	Named local contact with direct number	Call centre or national dispatch
References?	3 Alberta clients, willing to be contacted	‘Our reviews are online’

Alpine can answer every question on this checklist, and we encourage you to ask all of them before signing with any security services provider. Book a free consultation or call +1 780-800-9903.

Are you a licensed security guard in Edmonton or Calgary looking to work with a company that sets this same standard? Explore career opportunities at Alpine Protection Services.