How Much Do Security Guards Cost in Ontario? A 2026 Pricing Guide

If you are budgeting for security, you want a number before you want a sales call. This guide gives you the real ranges, explains what moves them, and shows you how to read a quote so you can tell a fair price from a cheap one.

The short answer

In 2026, most Ontario businesses pay between $28 and $45 per hour for standard unarmed security guard coverage. Specialised assignments event security, retail loss prevention, executive or high-risk sites typically run $35 to $60 per hour.

Those are billed agency rates, not wages. A licensed guard in Ontario earns roughly $19 to $26 per hour depending on the region and the assignment. The gap between the wage and the billed rate covers everything that makes the service legitimate: WSIB, statutory payroll costs, general and professional liability insurance, uniforms and equipment, supervision, dispatch, training, reporting software, and the agency licence itself.

Typical Ontario rate ranges by service type

Ranges reflect commonly reported Ontario market pricing for 2026 and vary by city, notice period and contract length. Always get a written quote.

The seven factors that actually move your quote

• Hours and continuity. A 24/7 post needs roughly 4.2 full-time guards to cover the rotation legally. Long-term, predictable schedules attract lower rates because the agency can staff them efficiently. Ad-hoc weekend coverage costs more per hour than a permanent post.
• Notice period. Same-day emergency deployment a fire watch, a strike, a break-in carries a premium because the agency is pulling officers off other rotations or paying overtime. Booking a week out can cut 10–20% from the rate.
• Risk profile of the site. A quiet office lobby and a downtown site with a history of violent incidents do not cost the same. Higher risk means more experienced officers, tighter supervision and higher insurance loading.
• Skills and certifications required. First aid and CPR, use-of-force training, WHMIS, working-at-heights, forklift certification, bilingual French–English service, or experience in a regulated environment all raise the rate and are worth paying for when the site needs them.
• Location and travel. A post in downtown Toronto and a post 90 minutes outside Kenora price differently. Remote and northern sites carry travel time, mileage and sometimes accommodation.
• Technology bundled in. Live GPS-verified patrol tours, digital incident reporting with photographs, client dashboards and body-worn cameras add cost but they also give you evidence that stands up in an insurance claim, which is usually where the value shows up.
• Contract length and volume. Multi-site and multi-year agreements are the single biggest lever on price. If you have three locations, tender them together.

Guards, mobile patrol or cameras where does the money go furthest?

These are not competing products; they solve different problems. The cost-effective answer is usually a blend.

If your budget is tight, the highest-value first move is rarely a 24/7 guard. It is a randomised mobile patrol schedule enough presence to break the pattern a thief relies on, at a fraction of the cost of continuous coverage. Learn more about mobile patrol coverage.

What a fair quote must include

A quote that is only a number is a red flag. Before you sign, confirm in writing:

• The agency’s Ontario agency licence number, issued under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. You can verify it through ServiceOntario’s public registry.
• Confirmation that every officer assigned holds a valid individual security guard licence — agencies are legally required to hire only licensed guards.
• Proof of general liability and professional liability insurance, plus WSIB clearance.
• The minimum shift length and any call-out minimum.
• Overnight, weekend and statutory holiday premium rates, stated as percentages.
• Overtime and no-notice cancellation terms.
• What reporting you receive: patrol logs, incident reports, photographs, and how quickly.
• Supervision structure: who checks on the officer, how often, and who you call at 3 a.m.
• Replacement guarantee: what happens if an officer calls in sick.
• Escalation protocol: the exact sequence of who is contacted, in what order, when something happens.

The rate that looks too good usually is

If a quote sits well below the ranges above, one of a few things is normally true: the officers are unlicensed, the agency is not carrying full insurance, WSIB obligations are not being met, there is no real supervision, or officers are being paid so little that turnover makes continuity impossible. Any one of those transfers risk from the agency onto you and it is exactly the kind of detail an insurer looks for after a loss.

What it costs to go without

Ontario construction sites alone lose an estimated $12 million or more in stolen equipment every year, according to the Toronto Construction Association, and copper theft has climbed sharply as scrap prices reached record highs. Add the costs that never appear in the police report schedule delays, insurance deductibles, premium increases at renewal, replacement lead times and site downtime and a single overnight incident can exceed a year of patrol coverage.

Getting an accurate quote in one call

Have these ready and any credible agency can price your site quickly:

• Site address and type (construction, retail, warehouse, office, residential, event)
• Coverage days and hours, including whether it is temporary or ongoing
• Armed or unarmed, uniformed or plain clothes
• Any incident history at the site
• Certifications the site requires
• Start date and expected duration

Get a written quote for your site

True North Security Services is a licensed Ontario security agency operating 24/7 from eight offices across the province. Tell us about your site and we will send a written, itemized quote no obligation.