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Security Services in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Dmitry Diment Dmitry Diment New York, United States Last Updated: September 2024 NAICS 56161CA

Revenue

$9.1bn

2024

$9.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

119k

Businesses

2,353

Wages

$X.Xbn

Security Services in Canada industry analysis

The Security Services industry in Canada provides investigative, guard and patrol services and in-transit cash and valuables protection. Industry revenue has increased at a CAGR of 4.7% to $9.0 billion over the five years to 2023 as guard, investigative and other services have become more popular among corporate and government clients. The industry's diverse market insulated it from a large revenue decline, though it has benefited from economic expansion. However, a decline in corporate profit will cause industry revenue to fall an expected 2.8% in 2023 alone.Over the past five years, an increasing number of new businesses has led to an expansion in the potential pool of clientele for security services. The industry commonly provides security measures for business and public entities that opt to outsource guard and patrol functions. Despite volatility in corporate profit and declining residential activity over the past five years, companies have continued to raise spending on security services to protect their expanding assets from potential theft or crime. Additionally, nonresidential construction growth has further expanded industry demand, as security services companies are typically needed to safeguard real estate development projects.The industry will likely continue to experience steady demand from the public sector over the next five years, as security service providers are contracted to provide passenger screening for all of Canada's designated commercial airports. However, the industry will endure competition from security alarm service systems, which include the installation of verification and remote monitoring security systems, in addition to off-site response services. Like the past five years, many potential downstream customers will likely substitute manned security guard services for this high-tech alternative. Security service providers will respond to this competition by offering integrated security systems incorporating surveillance and verification systems while stressing the importance of guard and patrol services. Ultimately, the industry will likely benefit from expanding corporate profit and bolstering security budgets. However, a declining crime rate will moderate more robust revenue growth. As a result, revenue is expected to climb at a CAGR of 1.3% to $9.6 billion over the five years to 2028.

Trends and Insights

  • The industry provides security measures for businesses and public areas that outsource security systems rather than take on the logistical burden of protecting their facilities. So industry revenue relies on corporate expenditure trends and business formation rates, as new businesses will likely require security services.
  • The industry provides patrol and guarding services, cash transportation, secure transfer of valuables, papers, and data, as well as security consulting. Strong revenue development for the sector is the result of the economy's quick recovery and the return of in-person work.
  • The Security Services industry in Canada is largely concentrated according to population density. A greater concentration of security services companies occurs in regions with large populations and cities, especially in Ontario and Quebec.
  • The industry will endure competition from security alarm services as companies weigh the decision to opt for high-tech security systems. These systems include alarm monitoring and response services, over more traditional manned security guard and patrol services offered by the industry.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $9.1bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Demand from vital markets vacillates

  • The industry has experienced an uptick in demand from the oil and gas, manufacturing and petrochemical sectors leading into the period as prices recovered.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Security Services in Canada
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The rising trend of outsourcing will continue to support industry demand

  • Security service companies have been contracted to provide passenger screening and boarding security in Canada's airports for over a decade.

Biggest companies in the Security Services in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
GardaWorld Corporation
1,392.8
227.2
16.3
Canadian Corps of Commissionaires
812.8
41.5
5.1

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Security Services in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including On-site security guard services, Investigation services and Armoured vehicles. On-site security guard services is the largest segment of the Security Services in Canada.

Trends and Insights

On-site security guard services account for more than half of industry revenue

  • This segment includes security professionals who are hired to guard people, property and buildings.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Security Services industry in Canada provides investigation and detective services, guard and patrol services, in addition to protected transport of valuables, including money, receipts and other items. The industry does not include companies that sell security systems, such as burglar or fire alarms.

What's included in this industry?

Security guard and patrol servicesArmoured car servicesPrivate investigative servicesSecurity guard and crowd control services for temporary eventsCorporate investigative servicesPolygraph servicesBodyguard services

Companies

GardaWorld CorporationCanadian Corps of Commissionaires

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CLOSED-CIRCUIT TV (CCTV)MONITORED SECURITY SYSTEMINTEGRATED SECURITY SERVICESBIOMETRICS

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 56161 - Security Services in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The industry provides security measures for businesses and public areas that outsource security systems rather than take on the logistical burden of protecting their facilitie...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The industry provides patrol and guarding services, cash transportation, secure transfer of valuables, papers, and data, as well as security consulting. Strong revenue develo...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The Security Services industry in Canada is largely concentrated according to population density. A greater concentration of security services companies occurs in regions wit...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The industry will endure competition from security alarm services as companies weigh the decision to opt for high-tech security systems. These systems include alarm monitorin...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Only two companies account for over 5.0% of the industry market share. GardaWorld and Commissionaires have acquired smaller competitors to expand their portfolios and market ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of GardaWorld Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Canadian Corps of Commissionaires's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for GardaWorld Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Outsourced private security firms provide the passenger screening process. Accordingly, the industry has benefited from privatizing airport-related security over the past dec...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Security services companies may need to invest in various types of equipment and technology to provide their services effectively. This can include cameras, alarms, access co...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Assets (2017-2022)
  • Liabilities (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Security Services industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Security Services industry in Canada is $9.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Security Services in Canada industry in 2024?

There are 2,353 businesses in the Security Services industry in Canada, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Security Services industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Security Services industry in Canada has been growing at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Security Services industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Security Services industry in Canada is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Security Services market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Security Services market in Canada are GardaWorld Corporation and Canadian Corps of Commissionaires

What does the Security Services in Canada include?

Security guard and patrol services and Armoured car services are part of the Security Services industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Security Services in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is GardaWorld Corporation.

How competitive is the Security Services industry in Canada?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Security Services industry in Canada.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Audio & Video Equipment Manufacturing in Canada
  • Security Alarm Services in Canada

Complementors

  • Communications Equipment Manufacturing in Canada
  • Debt Collection Agencies in Canada

International industries

  • Security Services in the US
  • Armored Transportation Services in the US
  • Background Check Services in the US
  • Investigation and Security Services in Australia
  • Investigation and Security Services in New Zealand

View all industries in Canada

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.