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  • 22 February 2021 4:14 PM | Anonymous

    To Our Valued Members,

    The Ministry of the Solicitor General is proposing amendments to regulations under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA), to extend the licence term for licenced agencies and registration term for registered employers.  Extending the terms, while retaining the current fees, will result in reduced costs and administrative burden for businesses.

    To make this change, the Ministry proposes to amend O. Reg. 367/07 (Term of Licences), extending the Licence Term for Licensed Agencies from two to three years and amend O. Reg: 368/07 (Registration Requirements for Business Entities), to extend the Registration Term for Registered Employers from one to three years.

    This proposed regulatory amendment was posted on February 16, 2021, on Ontario’s Regulatory Registry. Please provide your comments at:

    English: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?language=en&postingId=36347

    French: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?language=fr&postingId=36347

    Due date for Comments is March 18, 2021.

    Should the proposed amendment pass, we will post all of the details on the CPIO website.

  • 14 January 2021 2:23 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Dear CPIO Members and Industry Stakeholders,

    As many of you know, Queen’s Park announced further emergency measures to combat the ongoing threat from COVID-19, that came into effect today, Thursday, January 14, 2021.  In light of these new measures, we sought the legal opinion of the CPIO legal counsel, Ross Dunsmore of Dunsmore Law, for any changes that may affect our industry.  Ross has assured us that his original opinion still stands and that there is no change to our status as an “essential service”.  Please see below:

    The CPIO recommends that, during the Stay-at-Home Order, all PI Agency owners issue letters to their employees outlining their status as an essential worker.  This should ease the process if/when an employee is challenged.

    We will endeavour to continue to keep our membership, and the industry at large, informed of the latest developments.

    Stay safe!

    On behalf of your CPIO Board of Directors,

    James Meadway

    President


  • 13 January 2021 2:56 PM | Anonymous

    In light of the emergency measures due to be introduced on January 14, 2021 we have reviewed Federal aid benefits currently in place and have listed them below:

    Employees: 

    EI- https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html

    CRB- Canada Recovery Benefit- Eligible employees receive $500 per week (taxable, tax deducted at source) for up to 26 weeks and have had employment income reduced by 50%

    CRCB- Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit- Eligible to receive $500per week  (taxable, tax deducted at source) for up to 26 weeks who are unable to work more than %50 of the week to take care of children under 12 because of school and daycare closures because COVID19

    Please see the link below for more information on the above

    https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application/transition.html

    Businesses:

    CERS- Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy- https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/emergency-rent-subsidy.html

    CEWS- Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy- https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/emergency-wage-subsidy.html 

    Please note the  amounts have changed as of January 6, 2020- https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/subsidy/emergency-wage-subsidy/cews-what-changes.html

    CEBA- additional $20,000.00, $10,000 must be paid by December 31,2022 for the other $10,000.00 to be forgiven (same parameters as CEBA $40K) Your bank will show it as a $60K loan now. $40K by December 31, 2022 for $20K to be forgiven. 

    Ontario Benefits Business:

    https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-help-businesses-ontario

    Ontario Benefits Individuals:

    https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-support-people#section-0

    PLEASE NOTE: CERB is no longer available as of December 2, 2020.

    We will continue to monitor the government support programs and will update the website accordingly.

  • 11 January 2021 10:32 AM | Anonymous

    On October 20, 2020, Serco Canada Inc. (Serco) launched a pilot project for the online testing of security guards. A small number of candidates who had scheduled and paid for an in-person test at a Serco location were offered the opportunity to participate in the pilot project by completing their test online. With the completion of a successful pilot project, online testing will be now be available as a standard service offering in English and French for security guards and private investigators, effective January 18, 2021. The online testing option will be available in addition to in-person testing at Serco test locations which will continue.

    Similar to the in-person testing policy, candidates who pass the online test will be eligible to apply for their security guard and/or private investigator license using the online or mailed-in channels supported by ServiceOntario. Where candidates do not pass the test, they will be required to pay the test fee for any subsequent attempts to write the test. In addition to a laptop/desktop computer with reliable internet connection, please visit Serco’s website for technical requirements to participate in online testing.

    On December 21, 2020, the government announced a provincewide lockdown based on public health advice to slow current community transmission of COVID-19. Please note that, until further notice, Serco will continue to offer testing services that adhere to public health guidance. Candidates will continue to be required to schedule both online and in-person tests in advance and adhere to all public health measures as laid out by public health officials and put in place by Serco. Candidates who fail to comply with protocols set out at test centre locations could be denied entry and prevented from taking the test.

    We encourage you to visit our website regularly for program updates. For more details on the online testing service, please visit Serco’s website or email Serco directly.

    Please click the following link to see the original letter sent from the Ministry of the Solicitor General --> Launch of Online Testing_Memo_Discussion Table.pdf

  • 20 December 2020 5:40 PM | Anonymous

    As we anxiously prepare to enter 2021, ready to embrace what challenges may still lay ahead for us all, the CPIO is aiming to keep you educated and informed with the latest updates and trends in our industry. With that, on December 11, 2020, the Ministry of the Solicitor General, under the Private Investigative Services Branch released a new initiative for 2021, outlining a new Compliance Inspection Strategy (CIS). Compliance inspections ensure licensed agencies fully understand their responsibilities under the PSISA and its Regulations. Compliance inspectors work with and support agencies to ensure appropriate implementation and understanding of the legislation.

    These Compliance Inspections have three steps:

    STEP 1: Notification of Inspection- All newly licensed agencies are contacted by a compliance inspector within 90 days of their licence issue date to discuss licensing requirements and obligations. This may include a compliance inspection. All licensees are encouraged to review the Act and Regulations to ensure they are complying with all sections of the legislation.

    STEP 2: Scheduling an Inspection- Upon arrival, the compliance inspector assigned to your agency will introduce themselves and show their identification including appointment card and badge. The inspection may include:

    • discussion with the agency representative
    • note-taking
    • reviewing files
    • collecting documents
    • answering any agency representative questions

    STEP 3: Providing Inspection Results- When an inspection is complete, the agency will receive a post-inspection letter by email confirming whether they were found compliant or non-compliant. 

    An agency is expected to correct all non-compliant areas within 30, 60, or 90 days of receiving the post-inspection letter, depending on the type of non-compliance identified. A follow-up inspection will be scheduled. Failure to correct the non-compliant areas can lead to:

    • conditions being placed on the license
    • license suspension or license revocation
    • charges being laid

    Regularly scheduled inspections are carried out once a year following the schedule below. The schedule does not include additional inspections that are performed unannounced, when necessary.

    Region

     Date Range

    Central

     January 2021 – March 2021

    Eastern

     April 2021 – June 2021

    Western

     April 2021 – June 2021

    Northern

     July 2021 – September 2021

    Central

     October 2021 – December 2021


    For full details please visit:
    http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/Privatesecurityandinvestigativeservices/Requirementslicensedagencies/ComplianceInspectionandEnforcementProgram.html

    If you have questions regarding the compliance inspection and enforcement program, please contact PSISB.Compliance@ontario.ca.

    We thank you again for your support, as we continue to ensure the growth of our members through the CPIO. 

    CPIO Government Relations Committee

  • 18 December 2020 8:39 PM | Anonymous

    Dear Council of Professional Investigators Ontario (CPIO) Members and Industry Stakeholders,

    I would like to start by thanking Brian Sartorelli, Lloyd Vaughan, Brian Moffatt, and Kelly Tobin for their hard work over the last year; their knowledge and expertise will be missed. I would also like to thank Brian Zeng, James Fralick, Shelley Collins, Manish Patel, Vanessa Greenblatt, Junior Williams, and Boaz Lapointe for their dedication and continuing support. Finally, I would like to welcome Nino Calabrese, Martin Jaekel and James Winter to your CPIO Board of Directors.

    We have all had a tumultuous year. At the CPIO, we started this year off by rebranding our logo and then setting about organizing the F.I.T. 5 Conference, which was to be held in April 2020. The expectation was for a spectacular day of learning, networking, and camaraderie but sadly, COVID-19 brought that to a crashing halt. COVID-19 also caused us to take a good look at the CPIO and the industry in general. We concluded that the CPIO should take the initiative and try to raise the general level of knowledge and the standard of professionalism in our industry.

    Since the days of Eugene François Vidocq in the 1830’s, Private Investigators (or Private Inquiry Agents, as we were once known) have plied their trade using whatever tools were available, often with only the teachings of their employer to guide them and then later, learning through experience. Currently, various courses are available at universities and colleges, which give an overview of investigations and there are specialized trainers who teach surveillance, fraud investigations, interview techniques and OSINT to mention a few. However, there is no standard criteria by which these courses are measured. Often, what is being taught is out of date, applicable to a jurisdiction outside Ontario or even Canada, or merely a rote style of training with no human interaction or understanding of the principles required.

    Monsieur Vidocq was a colourful character, who before starting what is believed to be the world’s first Private Investigation Agency, was a soldier, a criminal, and the founder of the Sûreté in France. He famously staffed his investigation agency with former criminals, perhaps theorizing that you should use a criminal to catch a criminal. Monsieur Vidocq was also innovative and is apparently accredited with introducing record keeping, criminology, and ballistics to criminal investigations. Since then, Private Investigators have tracked down notorious outlaws in the wild west, solved famous murders and located those not wanting to be found.

    Unfortunately, there is no standardized qualification or training that applies to Private Investigators alone. The CPIO would like to begin correcting this situation by offering a collection of courses to Professional Investigators, in addition to our webinar series. The courses will be aimed at increasing the knowledge, awareness, and skill set of Professional Investigators through relevant, high-quality training in the most pertinent and current subjects. It is our hope that the courses we offer will set a benchmark for others to follow and will enable our members to boast a degree of professionalism envied by their peers.

    As 2020 draws to a close, we are all looking at uncertain times ahead. While we all hope 2021 will bring a return to some sort of normality, none of us knows what to expect. CPIO Members, however, can rest assured that your Board of Directors is working hard to develop innovative ways to assist each and every member in enhancing their professional expertise and building a brighter future.

    It only remains for me to wish each of you a safe and festive holiday season and May 2021 bring you and your families health, friendship, and prosperity!

    Yours faithfully,
    James Meadway


    NOTE: THE CPIO ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO WEAR MASKS, ADHERE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FOLLOW THE OTHER APPLICABLE GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES WITH REGARD TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND KEEP US ALL SAFE.

  • 30 April 2020 11:20 PM | Anonymous

    Dear CPIO Members:

    To our valued members, the effects COVID-19 has had on the economy, society and industry has been crippling and unparalleled. We understand that the last six weeks have been met with confusion, financial stress, personal stress and uncertainty; please know that you are not alone in this fight. The CPIO is here to ensure that our members are informed and educated with respect to the government assistance programs that have been made available to us. With that being said, the CPIO would like to take this opportunity to keep you informed with how we are working to bring awareness and education to you in the coming weeks.

    On Wednesday, May 6, 2020, the CPIO will host a webinar to ensure that our members are informed on government relief and the necessary steps to apply for both agency members and individual members. As all of you know, it will take time before we are able to gather again to meet and provide education for you through our seminars and conferences. Therefore, we will be offering free online webinars covering a variety of topics that pertain to our industry, commencing on May 20, 2020 with a new webinar every 2 weeks thereafter. Information concerning these webinars will be posted on our website soon!

    To ensure the concerns of our members are addressed we have provided five questions that we would like you to answer to assist us with this. Please send us your feedback to (email address) and these topics will be part of the May 6 discussion.

    1- During COVID 19, what has been the biggest issue facing you individually or as a business.

    2 - Have you applied for and been able to access Government grants successfully? If not successful, what were the reasons?

    3 - Are you experiencing labour or contract issues?

    4 - What can the CPIO do to assist you at this time?

    5 - Would you be interested in on-line learning seminars hosted by CPIO, if so, what topics would be of most interest to you?

    Please know that your support has been unmatched and valued and we thank you. As we orchestrate through this unprecedented time in our history, our 'new-normal' will take time to adjust to but we will endure.

    We wish you and your families all the best.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CPIO COVID-19 WEBINAR

    Time: May 6, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)


    Click here to register for the webinar.


    Click here to find your local dial-in number. 


    Click here to see the meeting password (NOTE: this webinar is for CPIO members only). 

  • 08 April 2020 10:09 AM | Anonymous

    Dear CPIO Members and Industry Stakeholders:

    Today, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford announced a significantly pared-down list of essential services allowed to remain open as we all continue to fight the COVID-19 virus. Those that did not make the cut must suspend operations by Saturday night at 11:59 p.m. This list can be found on the Government of Ontario’s website.

    Specific to CPIO members and the industry, please note on this list the reference made under the Community services, section 34. - “Businesses that deliver or support the delivery of services which includes: vii. Professional and social services that support the legal and justice system".

    The Council of Professional Investigators of Ontario (CPIO) urges its members and industry to be aware and cautious, practice social distancing while keeping the COVID-19 situation in perspective. Please practice the community-based measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. Find out more on the Government of Canada's website

    The CPIO is committed to ensuring its members are up to date on the latest information that effects the industry. As such, the CPIO obtained a legal opinion from counsel which clearly sets out the opinion that private investigative services are deemed to be “essential workplaces”. For those businesses who choose to remain open during this time, the Government has urged business owners to ensure measures are put in place to safeguard the well-being of its employees.

    The CPIO is very concerned about the impact this shutdown will have on our industry and understand that this will be a difficult time for employees, and employers within the private investigation sector. We encourage you to reach out to us should you have any additional questions or concerns.

    Yours truly,

    Brian M Sartorelli

    President, Council of Professional Investigators of Ontario

  • 04 April 2020 4:10 PM | Anonymous

    COVID-19 has deeply affected the Canadian economy in many ways. In response to the changing employment landscape, the federal government has introduced NEW PROGRAMS to assist businesses and workers in these trying times.

    Please CLICK HERE for a general overview of both new and existing programs current as of April 3, 2020. The government has yet to release full details for many of the new programs. As such, the following information is subject to change and may become outdated as more information is released.

    Stay informed, and call us with your questions.

  • 26 March 2020 11:20 AM | Anonymous

    Dear CPIO Members and Industry Stakeholders:

    On March 23, 2019, the Ontario Government ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces as of Tuesday March 24, 2020, at 11:59 PM. The closure is to remain in effect for 14 days with the possibility of an extension.

    The CPIO is committed to ensuring its members are up to date on the latest information that effects the industry. As such, the CPIO obtained a legal opinion from counsel which clearly sets out the opinion that private investigative services are deemed to be “essential workplaces”. We ask that you please review the enclosed opinion in its entirety. For those businesses who choose to remain open during this time, the Government has urged business owners to ensure measures are put in place to safeguard the well-being of its employees.

    The CPIO is undoubtedly concerned about the impact this shutdown will have on our industry and understand that this will be a difficult time for employees, and employers within the private sector. We encourage you to reach out to us should you have any additional questions or concerns.

    Yours truly,

    Brian M Sartorelli

    President, Council of Professional Investigators of Ontario


About

The Council of Professional Investigators of Ontario (CPIO) is dedicated to the representation of the profession of Private Investigators in the Province of Ontario, through the development and application of industry training, professional standards, and code of ethics.

Contact

24-155 East Beaver Creek Road, Ste 166, Richmond Hill, ON, L4B 2N1

Email: info@cpiontario.ca

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