Mobile Patrol Security Guard in Quebec: The Job Explained
Duties, Class 5 licence, P-7 premium, $0.50/km allowance and safety rules: what you need to know about mobile security patrol in Quebec.
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A mobile patrol security guard does not spend the shift in a guardhouse. The patroller drives from one site to the next, often alone and often at night. Mobile security patrol appeals to people who like to move and work on their own, but it comes with its own rules: driver's licence, use of the vehicle, allowances set out in the Decree, caution on alarm calls. Here is what you need to know before applying as a patrol security guard.
What does a mobile patrol security guard do?
The Decree respecting security guards expressly includes patrolling in a guard's duties. The functions listed in section 1.01 include "patrolling in a motor vehicle, on a bicycle, on foot or on horseback". In practice, the mobile patroller covers a route of several clients during the shift. Typical duties:
- Rounds of several sites: stores, warehouses, construction sites, office or residential buildings visited in turn, sometimes several times a night.
- Checking access points: doors, windows, gates and padlocks, outside and inside depending on the client's instructions.
- Opening and closing buildings: unlocking in the morning, locking up and arming the alarm system in the evening, making sure nobody is still inside.
- Alarm response: going to a site when the monitoring centre reports an intrusion alarm or another alarm, assessing the situation from outside and liaising with the monitoring centre, the client or emergency services.
- Reports: recording every visit, every anomaly and every intervention, often in a mobile app or by scanning checkpoints.
What driver's licence do you need for mobile patrol?
To drive an ordinary car in Quebec, the Class 5 licence applies. According to the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), this class allows you to drive an automobile, meaning a vehicle with 2 axles and a net mass of less than 4,500 kg. Most patrol vehicles fall into this category, but check the class required if the employer uses a heavier vehicle.
The driver's licence is in addition to the agent licence issued by the Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP), Quebec's private security regulator. It does not replace it. Employers generally ask for a clean driving record, because the patroller spends a good part of the shift on the road.
Does the Decree provide anything if I use my own car?
Yes, but read the sections carefully: the Decree provides two different measures.
The P-7 premium: the car used as a shelter
Section 1.01 of the Decree defines the P-7 premium as a benefit paid to a guard who needs a shelter and must use their automobile for that purpose. The amount is $3.00 an hour in the table of premiums. This premium therefore covers the situation where the car serves as a shelter during work. The definition does not mention driving from one site to another. Patrolling by car does not, on its own, give entitlement to the P-7 premium according to the wording of the definition.
The allowance of $0.50 per kilometre
Section 8.01 provides that an allowance of $0.50 per kilometre is paid for all kilometres travelled when the employee uses their vehicle as a shelter and, at the employer's request, uses it to make rounds, patrols or a motor vehicle service. The same section also provides $0.50 per kilometre for an employee who must take their automobile to get to a workplace located more than 40 km from the employer's office, during a strike, a lock-out, a special event or a contract of 60 days or less. The employer may then choose to provide the transportation itself.
| Measure in the Decree | Situation covered | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| P-7 premium (s. 1.01) | The guard needs a shelter and must use their automobile for that purpose | $3.00 an hour |
| Allowance (s. 8.01) | Vehicle serving as a shelter and used, at the employer's request, for rounds, patrols or a motor vehicle service | $0.50 per km travelled |
| Allowance (s. 8.01) | Travel to more than 40 km from the employer's office (strike, lock-out, special event, contract of 60 days or less) | $0.50 per km travelled |
The wording of section 8.01 links the two conditions with "and": vehicle used as a shelter and for rounds or patrols at the employer's request. If you are unsure about your situation, contact the Comité paritaire des agents de sécurité, which is responsible for applying the Decree.
For all the premiums, see our article on the premiums in the security guards' decree.
What about insurance on my personal vehicle?
Using your own car for work can change the declared use of the vehicle. The rules vary from one insurer and one contract to another. Before accepting a patrol job with your car, call your insurer, describe the use precisely (rounds, kilometres per shift, vehicle parked on client sites) and ask for written confirmation that you are covered. Also ask the employer whether it provides a vehicle or insurance for this work.
Working alone and at night: what changes?
Mobile patrol is very often done at night. Hours worked between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. give entitlement to the P-11 premium of $1.00 an hour (s. 1.01 and table of premiums in the Decree). More than one premium can apply at a time. We cover this topic in our article on night-shift security guard work and the P-11 premium.
The patroller is also, most of the time, a lone worker. For working alone, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) recommends a risk assessment and a system of communication and regular check-ins with a designated person. Ask your employer how these check-ins are done during your shift.
What should you do when you arrive at an alarm?
The basic rule: do not intervene alone when facing danger. A security guard is not a police officer. A guard's powers are those of any citizen (see our article on citizen's arrest and the powers of a security guard).
- Before you arrive, tell the monitoring centre or your supervisor where you are.
- Observe from outside, from a safe place, without going in.
- If you see a forced door, a broken window, a suspicious person or smoke, call 911 and wait for the police or the firefighters.
- Do not chase anyone and never enter alone a building where an intrusion is possible.
- Write down the times, what you saw and the people you reached.
How do you write a patrol report?
The report is the record of your work for the employer and the client. It must be factual: date, time, place, what you observed, what you did, who you notified. Avoid opinions and assumptions. For a concrete example, see our incident report template for security guards.
What skills are employers looking for in a patroller?
- A valid agent licence and a driver's licence of the right class.
- Autonomy and good time management to keep up with a busy route.
- Judgment: knowing when to stop, step back and call for help.
- A good sense of direction and careful driving, by day and by night and in winter.
- Clear writing for reports and ease with mobile apps.
To highlight these strengths, see our security guard resume template.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a patroller automatically receive the P-7 premium?
No. According to its definition, the P-7 premium ($3.00 an hour) is for a guard who needs a shelter and must use their automobile for that purpose. Patrolling by car is not enough, on its own, to meet this definition.
Does my employer have to pay me mileage?
The Decree provides $0.50 per kilometre in the specific situations of section 8.01 described above. Outside those situations, check your contract or your collective agreement, and the Comité paritaire if in doubt.
Can you be a patroller without a driver's licence?
For vehicle patrol, no. However, the Decree also mentions patrolling on foot and by bicycle. Some jobs doing rounds on a single site therefore do not require driving.
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