The Smith Investigation Agency Inc.

Certified private investigators in Canada are professionals governed by rules set out by various acts, including PIPEDA, the Ministry of the Solicitor General, and other governing bodies. They are permitted to carry out carefully managed investigative services for private individuals and businesses in a discreet, law-abiding manner in accordance with these regulations.
Our fully certified and legal team of private investigators can perform many services, including the following (click on any of the links below to learn more about each of them):

• Insurance and Litigation Investigations
• Fraud Investigations
• Infidelity Investigations
• Background Checks
• Skip Tracing
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasures

Private investigators in Canada are permitted to carry out services such as surveillance for a variety of clients which include insurance and legal claims along with legal and corporate fraud cases. They conduct surveillance for family and personal matters as well such as child custody situations, family wellness checks and investigating cheating spouses. In addition, we also locate individuals, perform thorough background checks, conduct asset searches and do investigative research. Completing all in a law-abiding manner. Contrary to the image that popular culture and entertainment media paints of these professionals, there are legal limitations to what they can and cannot do, again governed by strict privacy and security laws. These laws differ in Canada from those in the United States in a variety of ways as well.

In order to become a private investigator, you must first have no criminal record, and you must meet minimum age requirements. Second, you need to have completed a training program approved by the Ministry where you reside. In Ontario for instance you would work with the Solicitor General to obtain an Ontario Private Investigator license. We offer this training for those who wish to become private investigators, security guards, or hold a dual license. In Ontario, a minimum of 50 hours of training is required in addition to passing the exam before you’ll be able to apply for your license if all other criteria are met. Upon receiving your license, you must operate out of a fully licensed private investigation agency, such as us at The Smith Investigation Agency.

Absolutely! The only thing to bear in mind is that one needs to be realistic about which services they expect a private investigator to perform. The role is very different from the version depicted in movies or on television. We must adhere to federal and provincial operating regulations, a wide array of Acts, and otherwise. Therefore, should we decline a specific request, it’s almost certainly due to it not falling within our legally permissible operations. In other cases, we may only be able to get so far with limited information, but we’ll do our utmost to deliver optimal results. In addition, by operating legally and as a certified private investigative agency, the evidence we obtain can be entered into legal proceedings.

The primary action a private investigator is permitted to carry out, within legal regulations, is to monitor an individual’s actions and report on their activities. They can also obtain information via public records, and select private databases outside the public eye, but it’s crucial to be aware that they cannot obtain sensitive data pertaining to the government, CRA, disability, welfare, or other similar sources. If you’re unsure whether we can meet your needs, don’t be afraid to discuss your private investigative requirements with us – we’re happy to do so in a discreet manner that safeguards your privacy and security. That way, it’s easier to make an informed decision.

There are ways that we can legally obtain select pieces of information pertaining to an individual’s finances, but we do know that there are limitations. For example, a private investigator is not allowed to get ahold of private bank statements, and you should avoid agencies offering this at all costs as they are therefore not operating legally. Instead, we may be able to determine whether someone is hiding assets through other resources as permitted by law. Whether you need us for a fraud investigation, an asset search, or to look into an insurance claim conflict, we’re here to help in any way we can.

The price of hiring a private investigator not only varies depending on the time they put into the work, how they charge and other individual factors, but also the agency itself. For instance, with us, we promise to deliver the quality and professionalism that you pay for, going above and beyond for each client to ensure optimal results even with legal and/or information access limitations. Evidence is obtained with care to ensure it can be used in your legal defence or argument, communications are transparent between us but discreetly keep the outside world out, and any surveillance duties we perform are handled with care and respect for all involved parties.

Private investigators, as already detailed, can fulfill a wide array of duties in accordance with governing privacy and security laws, among other regulations. Compliance is crucial if one is to operate as a professional, dependable private investigator. We cannot use firearms, hack into computers or smartphones, request sensitive data from bodies like the CRA, trespass on private property, or follow through with other unrealistic propositions. We must operate legally, proactively, and very much discreetly, both to protect ourselves and our clients.