Hiring a security agency in Quebec
Before hiring a security agency for a store, a construction site, an event or a building, three checks prevent most bad surprises: the agency's licence, what goes into the hourly cost of a security guard and what the contract says. Here is how to go about it in Quebec.
Verified October 14, 2026.
The agency must hold a BSP licence
In Quebec, a business that offers guarding services must hold an agency licence issued by the Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP), under the Private Security Act. Each guard it sends to your site must also hold their own agent licence.
Both can be checked in a few seconds in the BSP's public register, free of charge. For an agency, search by its legal name or its licence number, and check that the status shows "valid" in the guarding category. A suspended, revoked or expired licence does not allow the agency to operate. The steps are explained in our article checking a licence in the BSP register. For everything about licences, see our guide to the BSP licence.
What goes into the price of an hour of a guard
The price charged by the agency is negotiated. It starts, however, from a floor set by law: the Decree respecting security guards, which applies to every guarding agency, unionized or not.
- The guard's minimum wage. Since June 28, 2026, a class A guard cannot be paid less than $20.60 an hour (s. 4.07 of the Decree). The next rate takes effect on July 4, 2027. The details are on our page security guard salary.
- The Decree premiums. They are added to the rate depending on the post: night hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., uniform not supplied, training required by the client, health care settings, among others. The full list is in our article on the Decree premiums.
- Overtime. It is paid at time and a half (s. 3.04 of the Decree). A schedule that pushes the guard past their normal week costs more per hour.
- Leave and employer costs. Annual leave, statutory holidays, employer contributions to public plans and the joint committee levy.
- The agency's costs. Supervision, dispatch, insurance, equipment, replacements and margin.
Ask for a quote that separates the guard's rate, the premiums that apply to your site and the overtime rate. A price barely above the Decree's minimum wage does not cover these costs: it deserves a question.
Questions to ask before signing
- What is your BSP agency licence number?
- Do all the guards assigned to my site hold a valid licence? Can I have their numbers?
- What training do you require for this post (first aid, access control, health care settings)?
- Who replaces an absent guard, and how quickly?
- How are incidents reported to me? A written incident report is the norm.
- Who is my contact outside business hours?
- How long is the contract, and on what terms can it be ended?
What the guard can and cannot do on your premises
A security guard is not a police officer. They have no more power of arrest than any citizen, and their use of force is strictly limited. A client cannot ask them for more. See our articles on citizen's arrest and on use of force.
If you subcontract in turn
The Act respecting collective agreement decrees provides that a professional employer or a contractor who contracts with a subcontractor is jointly and severally liable with them for the amounts owed to employees under the Decree, and for the levies owed to the joint committee (s. 14). This liability ends six months after the work is completed, unless a complaint, a lawsuit or a notice from the committee arrives before then.
In other words, if your subcontractor does not pay its guards according to the Decree, the joint committee can turn to you. Make sure its guards are paid at least the Decree rate.
Finding an agency near you
Enter your postal code in our agency search: it shows the agencies registered on the site. Each licence is checked in the BSP register before publication.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an hour of a security guard cost?
The price is negotiated with the agency. It cannot go below what the guard costs under the Decree: at least $20.60 an hour in wages in 2026, plus premiums, leave, employer costs and the agency's costs.
How do I know whether a security agency is legal?
Look it up in the BSP's public register. Its licence must be valid in the guarding category.
Can I hire a guard directly, without an agency?
Yes. You do not need an agency licence, but the person must hold a BSP agent licence if security is their main activity (s. 16 of the Private Security Act). The Decree does not apply: their pay is governed by their contract and the Act respecting labour standards.
Must the agency follow the Decree even if it is not unionized?
Yes. The Decree sets the minimum conditions for all agency guards, unionized or not.