By Angus Wilson, Director Aviation

On behalf of ASP, I want to thank Garinder for being part of the ASP family for 15 years. Garinder started with ASP in November 2006 as a casual guard, worked in T3 at Duty-free and Air India flights. He also worked at various posts in terminal and airside. Garinder proved himself and was promoted to acting supervisor for Air India and Caribbean airline. After a period, he became a permanent Airline Supervisor and Cargo Screener.

A few years later once Air India stopped operations from YYZ, Garinder was moved to Billy Bishop Airport as full-time supervisor. From Billy Bishop airport, he came back to Pearson Airport as an airside and terminal supervisor. In 2013, Garinder was promoted to Service delivery manager for adhoc services and in 2016 promoted to Services Delivery Manager for terminal access control contract. In 2018, he took charge of the specialist contract and in 2019 his title was changed to Operation Manager. In 2021 Garinder was promoted to Senior Operations Manager, due to his dedication, focus and exemplary service delivery not only to the ASP employees, but also to the GTAA. Obviously, reaching this milestone is an exceptional occasion.

It is also a special occasion for ASP as it is a testament to Garinder’s loyalty to ASP over the years. Garinder is a valued member of our family, and his continued contributions are vital for ASP to continue to succeed in fulfilling our mission, vision and stated values Garinder, symbolizes everything we stand for, and we are happy that he has chosen to make ASP an integral part of his professional journey. I am honored to have Garinder in our legacy and would like to express my gratitude for going the extra mile each time he has been called. Once again, Garinder, thank you for your hard work and dedication. We look forward to your continued contributions and a bright and prosperous future together.


By Debbie Ciccotelli, Vice President, Strategic Innitiative

As ASP’s workforce is culturally diverse, it is important that we ensure inclusivity while maintaining the importance of religious holidays to those who celebrate them. As we celebrate the season, it’s easy to assume that everyone celebrates the same way we do. As we interact with people in our workplace and community, it is important to learn how others celebrate the season. By learning about our differences, we get closer to one other and get opportunities for exciting real life lessons in geography, culture, history, and religion. It’s true that holiday traditions around the world have much in common, especially as cultures mix and influence one another in our globally connected world. Yet there is also rich diversity in celebrations and traditions old and new. The season’s meaning becomes broader and more vivid as it expands to include more cultures and traditions. Did you know that people celebrate more than Christmas during the holiday season in Canada? By holiday season I mean the period starting from fall to early January. Well, I say, the more the merrier! Here are other celebrations this season you may want to know more about:

Diwali (Hindu)

Although Diwali is celebrated a bit earlier in the year in October or November (exact dates depend on the moon cycle). This year Diwali was celebrated on November 4th; it is considered an autumn and winter holiday by many of those who observe it. Diwali is considered the festival of lights, is India’s biggest holiday, and is celebrated by millions of Hindus around the world. It is a five-day holiday of lights. That celebrates the victory of light over darkness or the triumph of good over evil. Hindus also take advantage of this period to contemplate and dispel the darkness of ignorance. As a symbolic gesture, they display diyas which are small clay oil lamps or candle holders

Bodhi Day (Buddhist) In the Buddhist culture, Bodhi Day is a celebration of enlightenment and a day for remembrance, meditation, and chanting. This commemorates the exact moment of Buddha’s awakening (under the peepal tree which is now known as Bodhi). The exact date of celebration varies: Theravada Buddhists use the lunar calendar, Mahayana Buddhists go by the Chinese lunar calendar, while Japan Bodhi Day is set on December 8 every year. At the start of Bodhi day, people decorate a Ficus tree with multi[1]coloured lights strung with beads to symbolize the varied paths to Nirvana (their ultimate state/goal) and signifies that all things are united.

Hanukkah (Jewish)

 Hanukkah is an 8-day Jewish celebration also known as the Festival of Lights that commemorates rededication and purification of the temple after the Jew’s victory over the Greek Syrians in 165 BC. This year, Hanukkah will be celebrated from the evening of November 28 to December 6 in 2021. The most well-known symbol of this celebration is the menorah, which is a type of candelabra. One candle is lit each day during Hanukkah. The menorah represents a miracle for the Jewish people. During the battle, the Temple’s candelabrum burned for eight straight days and nights using an amount of oil meant for a single day.

 Winter Solstice (Various Cultures/ Religions) Many cultures all over the world celebrated (and continue to celebrate) winter solstice even before Christmas came to be. In fact, the term Yule was derived from an old European holiday held at the start of the solar year known as the celebration of Light and the Rebirth of the Sun. In the northern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year, also known as the winter solstice, falls around December 21. It marks the beginning of winter and the coming of cold, harsh days, but it also marks the beginning of the sun’s return as the days begin gradually to lengthen. Since many so-called Christmas traditions emerged from pagan practices, learning about the winter solstice teaches about history and culture.

Other winter solstice celebrations include:

  • Feast of Juul (Scandinavian) – A pre-Christian festival celebrated in December. On this day, a yule log is burned on the hearth in honor of the Scandinavian god, Thor.
  • Yalda (Persia/Iran) – Also called Shab –e-Yalda, it marks the last day of the Persian month of Azar during ancient times. It commemorates the victory of light over dark and the birth of the sun god Mithra
  • Saturnalia (ancient Roman) – Aside from winter solstice, Saturnalia celebrates the end of the planting season. It was marked by games, feasts, and gift-giving for several days.
  • St. Lucia’s Day (Scandinavian) – On this day, girls dress up in white gowns with red sashes and wreaths of candles on their heads to honor the saint. It is also called the festival of lights as people light up fires to ward off spirits at night.
  • Dong Zhi (Chinese) – Dong Zhi celebrates the end of harvest and the arrival of winter. In the traditional Chinese celestial calendar, this falls between the 21st and 23rd of December. Families gather together to enjoy a feast in celebration.
  • Gody (Poland) – This is the tradition of showing forgiveness and sharing food. It was part of pre[1]Christian winter solstice celebrations.
  • Chaomos (Kalasha, Pakistan) – Kalasha or Kalash Kafir people celebrate for at least seven days. It involves ritual baths for purification, singing and chanting, a torchlight procession, dancing, bonfires, and feasts.
  • St. Thomas Day/Sun God festival (Guatemala) – December 21 is the feast day of St. Thomas the Apostle. Mayan Indians also hold a festival honoring the sun god on this day. It is celebrated with fanfare including colourful parades and the daring flying pole dance in Peru.

Pancha Ganapati (Hindu)

From December 21 – 25, many Hindus celebrate Pancha Ganapati, and hold a five-day festival in honor of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed Patron of Arts and Guardian of Culture and new beginnings. Pancha Ganapati was created in 1985 by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, as a Hindu alternative to December holidays like Christmas. During each of the five days of Pancha Ganapati, a special sadhana, spiritual discipline, is focused upon by the entire family where they work together to mend past mistakes and bring His blessings of joy and harmony into five realms of their life, and they conclude by extolling one another’s best qualities. Pancha Ganapati includes outings, feasts and exchange of cards and gifts with relatives, friends, and business associates. A shrine is created in the main living room of the home and decorated in the spirit of this festive occasion. At the center is placed a large wooden or bronze statue of Lord Panchamukha (“five-faced”) Ganapati, a form of Ganesha. Any large picture or statue of Ganesha will also do. Each morning the children decorate and dress Him in the colour of that day, representing one of His five rays of energy, or shaktis

Kwanzaa (African)

Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday but a celebration of African heritage and culture that eventually ends with a large feast and gift giving. Kwanzaa, which means “First Fruits,” is based on ancient African harvest festivals and celebrates ideals such as family life and unity. It is a seven-day celebration (December 26 to January 1) that features the lighting of the kinara each day, similar to the lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah. Each day is represented by a principle of Kwanzaa: 1st – Umoja (unity), 2nd – kujichagulia (self-determination), 3rd – ujima (collective work and responsibility), 4th – ujamaa (cooperative economics), 5th – nia (purpose), 6th – kuumba (creativity), and 7th – imani (faith).

New Year’s (secular)

New Year’s Eve, December 31, marks the last day in the Gregorian calendar. It is a night of merry making marked with fireworks, parties, and feasts. Many people also observe rituals that are thought to give them good luck and help them start an auspicious year like serving certain food to bring wealth and making noise with fireworks to drive off bad spirits.

Three King’s Day (Christian)

Also known as Epiphany, this marks the day the Three Wise Men visited the Christ child and brought him gifts. Christians celebrate this on the first Sunday after January 1. In Hispanic cultures, this is a day of gift-giving and other festivities

Orthodox Christmas

Members of the Orthodox Church celebrate Jesus’ birth a week after December 25th and after all our usual celebrations have died down. They celebrate Christmas on January 7th or near this date. Why? It’s a difference in calendars. Those who celebrate Christmas on December 25th are using the Gregorian calendar introduced in 1582. Those who were still using the Julian calendar (much of the Soviet Bloc and the Middle East) celebrate Christmas 13 days later. While most of these countries now follow the Gregorian calendar, many still observe religious holidays on the Julian dates. Traditionally, Orthodox Christians begin with a 40-day period of fasting before Christmas. After the Christmas eve mass, families celebrate with feasts, joyful caroling, and other traditions. Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox faiths prepare 12 traditional dishes representing Christ’s apostles. Ukrainian households also throw a spoonful of Kutia (a traditional dish made of wheat, honey, and poppy seeds) up in the air to know what the year has in store for them. The more Kutia is stuck to the walls or ceiling, the more prosperous the year would be.

Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is observed in many countries that follow lunar calendars, including Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, China, Malaysia, and more. Lunar New Year can be celebrated in January, February, March, April, September, or November, depending on the lunar calendar, but February and April are the most common times. Lunar New Year traditions vary from culture to culture. Some examples include exchanging red envelopes or silk pouches containing money, setting off fireworks, playing games, eating traditional dishes, cleaning the house, and holding parades with colourful costumes. Chinese New Year marks the end of winter and the start of spring. It usually falls between January 21 and February 20 based on the lunar calendar (February 1 in 2022). The first day of celebration starts with the New Moon and ends on the Full Moon 15 days later. People indulge in feasts, watch dragon and lion dances and parades, light fireworks, and distribute luck money in red envelopes to children.

Ramadan (Muslim)

Ramadan is a month of daily fasting during daylight hours. It culminates in Eid-al-Fitr when they break the fast. The period is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, which is why it falls on different dates each year. It was observed from the evening of April 12 to May 11 in 2021. The next time it will be in December to January will be in 2030. Aside from fasting, Muslims also give up bad habits during the season, pray more, read the Quran, and attend services. Eid-al-Fitr is a time of celebration with the family, giving gifts and doing charitable works.

Omisoka

Omisoka is the Japanese New Year, and like the Western version of New Year’s, is celebrated on December 31st. It is considered one of the most important holidays in Japanese culture, second only to January 1st, known as Shogatsu or Japanese New Year’s Day. Celebrating the close of the old year and ushering in the new one, Japanese people often celebrate with a giant feast, cleaning the house from top to bottom to prepare for the new year, sending post cards and gifts to family and friends on January 2nd and hosting Bonenkai parties, intended to help forget about the past year. Many families make rice cakes as part of the celebration, and homes are decorated with a sacred Shinto straw rope. The holiday season is a great time to explore how different cultures express their values, beliefs, and customs. Celebrating workplace diversity, especially around the holidays, helps to build an understanding and awareness of other cultural practices and to reflect on our own. There’s nothing better than showing your coworkers that you care about and respect them by celebrating the holidays and traditions their families also follow. Learning about holidays from other cultures, is a wonderful way to establish awareness, appreciation, and acceptance of our differences. Regardless of your personal background and beliefs, the holiday season is a special time which is about enjoying spending time with family, friends and colleagues which makes this is the perfect time of year to focus on gratitude, appreciation, and thankfulness, both at home and in the workplace.

ASP wishes all of our employees and their families a joyous and safe 2021/22 holiday season!!


By Sarah Jessop, Secretary, Diversity and Inclusion

Purpose


In late 2021, the ASP Diversity and Inclusion committee
launched our second annual Diversity and Inclusion
Survey to inform our 2022 initiatives. We’d like to thank
everyone who took the time to participate, as you have
once again provided us with constructive feedback on how
our culture fosters an inclusive environment where people
of all backgrounds can thrive.
We chose to launch this survey for a second year in a
row because the feedback you provided us in 2020 was
essential in driving our 2021 decision-making. You may
recall some of the initiatives we launched last year in
response to your feedback, such as roundtables held for
Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month, Pride
Month and the launch of our revised ASP Workplace
Harassment, Violence and Bullying Prevention Policy
and Anti Discrimination Policy. A snapshot of our 2021
Diversity and Inclusion Survey results are outlined below
in comparison with the 2020 survey. This year, you can
expect to see changes and brand-new initiatives based on
the opinions you voiced!


2020 vs. 2021 Diversity and Inclusion
Survey Results


We are thrilled to say that our participation rate increased
by 10% this year. The 2021 results show that we have
made steady progress in most areas, with room to improve
as we move into 2022.


In my organization, I can be successful as my
authentic self:

  • 2021 – 81% agree
  • 2020 – 77% agree


ASP management appropriately responds to
discrimination:

  • 2021 – 81% agree
  • 2020 – 80% agree

People of all cultures, backgrounds, and identities are valued here:

  • 2021 – 80% agree*
  • 2020 – 82% agree
  • Our D&I Committee will make this a focus for 2022. The comments you shared in the 2021 survey have helped us understand what needs to be improved. When I speak up at work, my opinion is valued:
  • 2021 – 69% agree
  • 2020 – 67% agree


*Although we have improved by 2% in this area, we know more work
needs to be done to show you that your voice matters.
Within ASP, everyone has access to equal opportunities
regardless of their diverse background.

  • 2021 – 80% agree
  • 2020 – 78% agree


Your Comments


The comments you share with us in the Diversity and
Inclusion Survey are one of the most valuable tools for
our committee. They provide us with your insight on how
ASPs day-to-day operations impact feelings of fairness,
belonging, and voice.


They also give you an opportunity to provide our
committee with some great suggestions on how we can
continue to improve. Below are some of your comments
on what we are doing well, and what we need to focus on
in 2022:


“The leaders give equal opportunity and motivation to
express your comments in meetings”
“Discrimination is not strongly emphasized during
trainings or orientation”


“ASP has firm and effective anti-harassment, anti-violence,
and anti-bullying policies…

“A suggestion would be to visit more sites and give positive
feedback”


“ASP provides equal employment opportunities”


“…put more efforts into gender equality and monitor work
locations to identify and address discrimination issues that
employees may be reluctant to report”


“Diversity and inclusion are a continual effort; I think ASP
has come a long way!”


Next Steps

Our Diversity and Inclusion committee has heard what
you have to say. We are now designing our 2022 initiatives
so that they align with your feedback. Please keep an eye
out for more information on these projects throughout
the year.


New members in the ASP D&I Committee

We are expanding our membership of the ASP D&I
Committee as we begin our second year. Please join us in
welcoming the new members in the committee. We look
forward to your contribution and involvement and are
confident that your inputs will support the committee’s
mission and purpose.

  • Keba Walters, Asst Manager, Recruitment
  • Langelihle Lissa Ncube, HR Coordinator
  • Gillian Byron, OSR at Pearson Airport
  • Mohamad Miah, Terminal Patrol at YYC


If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
the committee at inclusive@security-asp.com With
your help, we can continue improving the diversity and
inclusion experience for all employees at ASP.


By Paul Parkinson, Director of Finance

With each change of the calendar year, it’s commonplace to remember all that has occurred the past year and to look forward for the coming year. I feel it’s important to recognize the accounting team. We had 2 new additions in 2021. Melissa Shehadeh has joined the team as an Accountant focussing on accounts receivable A/R collections and invoicing. She has started with her feet running without a chance to tie her shoes! Paige Piercy is the other addition to the team. She is part of the payroll team in processing payroll and records of employment for the over 1,800 staff. Together they join Sherrie Storimans, Giselle Lopes and Yemisi Joshua. This has been a challenging year for all members and all facets of the accounting department responsibilities. The team has risen to the challenge putting in late hours and weekends to ensure the highest satisfaction level for our customers and employees alike while always responding within our 24-hour rule. For 2022, we will continue the path to excellence and look forward to working alongside the other departments to improve system integrations and finding efficiencies which will benefit all. To all our readers, please take care of yourself, your family, and your colleagues.

To the team I say, THANK YOU! Your work ethic and autonomy has made me proud


By Jason White, Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Video conferencing is now the norm. Whether connecting with friends or family, or for work, Zoom and FaceTime calls are filling our days. So, it is not surprising that every public relations and communications professional worth their salt has blogs and YouTube videos on best practices. Out of the near bazillion social media posts on how to Zoom like a pro, a few common sense recommendations stood out. These are very appropriate for any ASP related video conferences, including the townhalls and Diversity Committee events.

The first suggestion is to arrive early to establish a connection with the people on other side of the screen. If it is a small group, introduce yourself and break the ice with some small talk. Ask where the other participants are located, what the weather is like, about a sports team or if they have seen your favourite TV show. This is a chance to show you care. If it is a meeting with lots of people like an ASP townhall, being early lets the organizers know that you are taking the meeting seriously and that it is important to you. Also, refer to people by name, and not just because it is polite. We’ve all been in those meetings where there is confusion around who is talking to who. This is especially true in large meetings where there may be multiple people with the same name. The next recommendation is to draw a smiley face on a post-it note and put it next to the camera on your computer or phone. When on a conference call, we tend to look at our own image when we are talking. This means we are not making eye contact with the folks on the other end. The post-it note is a reminder to look at the camera so you are making eye contact with the other people on the call – like we would do in a face to face meeting. The smiley face is also a reminder to smile! Because we are separated by pixels, it is very important to smile and put on a warm, friendly demeanor. Jokes, tone, and subtlety can easily be lost in electronic communication but a genuine smile, is always a smile. Finally, if you are presenting, people have joined the video conference to see you – not a PowerPoint presentation.

A good rule of thumb is that when the presenter shares, the audience cares. Facts and figures may be important, but too many and they become boring quickly. To engage the folks on the conference call, tell stories that are impactful to them. Before getting on Zoom, think about what is important to your audience, and build narratives around their priorities. Ask yourself, what do I want people to take away from the meeting. Three takeaways is a good goal. And the last item is to enjoy yourself because, through digital osmosis, the participants will also enjoy themselves. Good luck and happy conferencing

The best way to get a person’s attention is to tell relevant stories.


By Neeru Panjwani, Manager, Human Resources

Kimberly Hefferman – Service Delivery Manager, Res/CIC Kimberly

(Kim) joined us as SDM for the Res/CIC division and reports to John Stolte, Director Res/CIC. In her role, Kim is responsible for managing the Respite Center contract primarily, and ensuring compliance with contract requirement and government legislation. Kim has over twenty years of security experience in various industries like mining , hospitality and healthcare. She is certified in many prestigious security related certifications such as use of force, emergency first aid and CPR, basic emergency management, terrorist event pre[1]incident indicators etc. With such a versatile background, both in terms of education and experience, Kim shall play a lead role in contributing to the success of the division

Kirti Khatri – Onboarding Specialist, Res/CIC division

Kirti is our latest member in the HR team and has joined us as an Onboarding Specialist in the Res/CIC Division. She will report to Sean Gallagher, Recruitment Manager. Onboarding Specialist is a new title for the division and the position was created to bridge the gap between a new hire’s onboarding / training and placing them on an open schedule as per availability. Kirti will take up the responsibility to ensure that all new hires in the division are connected with the scheduling team and given a shift schedule as soon as their in-house onboarding and training is completed. This will support the operations in filling the open shifts faster and also help the new hire employees in becoming operational sooner.

Dave Harris – Assistance Customer Service Manager, Crossing

Guards Department Dave has joined ASP as Assistant Manager in the Crossing Guard Department and reports to Sarah Miller. Dave has worked in various customer centric roles in his past experience and has a progressive career history in building relationships to foster client success. In his position at ASP, Dave will provide critical employee support to over 300 crossing guards, manage the day-to-day operations in collaboration with internal support departments and monitor and enforce all designated safety, security and operational procedures / regulations applicable to the performance of the service

John Stolte – Director of Operations, Res/CIC Division

John will lead and support the high-quality service delivery to our residential and commercial clients. John’s experience as a proven operations strategist and people[1]focused leader for world-class hospitality organizations will be an asset at ASP as we stabilize, build on ASP’s past success, and continue to grow the commercial division. In his last role as Resident Manager for Aramark, John successfully lead his teams through the challenges and changes both before and during the pandemic in an industry which was impacted as dramatically as ours. Past success as a service provider with the City of Toronto and as a Six Sigma Certified Green Belt, he brings a fresh and effective approach to problem solving that will benefit our operations. John is results driven, strategic, and skilled at analyzing key business performance indicators, and we’re excited to have John join our talented team

Jeremy Knott – Director of Information Technology

Jeremy will lead ASP’s technology strategy, services, and programs. He holds a diploma in Network Systems and Computer Engineering and is a Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt (LSSBB). In his seventeen years of interdisciplinary IT experience, Jeremy has continuously generated tangible business results through fostering adherence to standards, loss awareness, effective problem solving, and implementation of sustainable solutions. His extensive IT management experience, including vendor management and systems integration, will be an asset in the design, implementation, and delivery of our internal and external technology solutions

Eryn Henry – Senior Manager , Resource Planning

Eryn has joined us as the Senior Manager of Workforce Scheduling and will report to Trisha Murray, Director of K9 and Resource Planning. Eryn is a hands on high[1]performing workforce management and contact center professional with over twenty years of successfully leading teams, outperforming targets, and building customer support programs. Eryn’s core competencies are in capacity planning, resource optimization, reporting and analytics and process mapping and improvement. Eryn is a honorary veteran from the Canadian Armed Forces after which she has worked in senior positions at companies like Scotia Bank and Nestle. Eryn’s rich experience and her vision and passion for improving the workplace environment and client communications will play a critical role in the success of the department.

Stephanie Ferjak, Amy Benjamin & Brennan Benoit – Workforce Schedulers

Our Workforce Scheduling team resource planning team is expanding to support the growing needs of our operations and support the frontline: Stephanie, Amy and Brennan joined us on the Workforce Scheduling team. Stephanie will support the Aviation Division and will report to Andrew Catney, Lead for Aviation. Amy will support the crossing guard operations and will report to Eryn Henry, Senior Manager, Workforce Management. Brennan will support the Res/CIC division and will report to Hardeep Khaneja, Lead RP for the Res/CIC division. Stephanie, Amy and Brennan come with relevant experience and knowledge required for their role at ASP. Their customer service focus, technical expertise, and effective team work skills will further support our employees in their duties

Munazha Mahfooz & Mohammed Khan

Recruiters at Res/CIC

Munazha and Mohammed recently joined the Recruitment team at Res/CIC and report to Ms. Keba Walters, Asst Manager, Recruitment. They will work closely with the Operations team to gain a comprehensive understanding of the department’s hiring needs for each position and meet hiring goals and expectations. They manage the full recruitment cycle across a variety of open roles helping management find, hire, and retain quality talent. Munazha and Mohammed have worked at security companies prior to joining ASP both in operations and in recruitment and therefore have a perfect understanding of the needs from both sides which has helped them immensely in adapting to ASP’s requirements. In their short stint, they have both played a pivotal role in filling open positions in critical client locations


By Rama Malkapuram, Manager, Acting Operations Manager

Monique Radway has been with ASP since March 2021. She originally joined the ASP team as a crossing guard. Prior to joining ASP, she successfully completed a certificate program in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the University of Technology in Jamaica. She has 2 years experience in customer service and 1 year of office administration experience. She is very professional while discharging her duty and always followed proper procedures as mandated by the City of Toronto. In October 2021, she temporarily moved into the role of Administrator at our North York office to assist with the Crossing Guard operations. Her role primarily was to answer phone calls from the Crossing Guards. She demonstrated a positive attitude in adapting herself to the new environment. In a short period of time, she learned about the X Guard App and started managing temporary punch ins, assigning and unassigning guards on the App with minimal support. She also started assisting with other administrative functions such as monthly uniform inventory counts, issuing ASP jackets and vests to the new hires and existing crossing guards. She became an integral part of the Crossing Guard team. Her dedication and commitment towards her job were recognized by the entire ASP team. I would like to thank her profoundly, for all the good work she put forth in last couple of months. Great job, Monique

Thank you, Roberto!

Please join our ASP Crossing Guard team in wishing a happy retirement to Roberto (Rudy) Soriano. Rudy has worked as a dedicated full-time member of the ASP School Crossing Guard Services since the program’s inception in 2019. Prior to working at ASP, he was a Crossing Guard with the Toronto Police Service for over 10 years. He exemplified kind[1]heartedness and was consistently reliable during his tenure with ASP. He will be sorely missed by the management team, his fellow crossing guards, and the community he served. We wish him all the best as he embarks on this new chapter of his life. Many thanks for his hard work and service

Let’s Make the Fourth Wave the Final Wave!

What Can We Do?

  • Get vaccinated – protect yourself and others
  • Be aware of risks associated with different settings
  • Wear face masks indoors – properly worn face masks are your best defense against the virus
  • Continue to wear a mask in busy outdoor areas like campgrounds, playgrounds and dog parks
  • Maintain social distancing – Health Canada still encourages us to minimize close contact with others.
  • Keep hands and surfaces clean
  • If you feel sick, even with just a sore throat, you should stay home and self-isolate if you have symptoms
  • Continue to avoid non-essential travel
  • Socialize outdoors whenever possible
  • Avoid crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation —especially with the unvaccinated.

Take Care of Your Mental and Physical
Health by:

  • Adjusting your expectations based on what is in your control
  • Have a backup plan if something is not available (school/daycare, gym, etc.)
  • Take advantage of nice weather and spend time outdoors
  • Acknowledge that pandemic fatigue is real and make use of our EAP (LifeWorks program) if you are experiencing mental health concerns like anxiety, stress, or depression

Collectively, our actions can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep our families, friends, and co-workers safe. As the pandemic drags on through a fourth, intense wave, front line hospital staff are running on empty tanks, and we owe it to them to take precautionary measures and make it through this wave without overburdening our healthcare system.


By Keba Walters, Assistant Manager, Recruitment RES/CIC

At A.S.P. Incorporated, a few of the values that drive our team are Inclusion and Empowerment, and the first step toward those values is to listen. Our recruitment team proudly At A.S.P. Incorporated, a few of the values that drive our team are Inclusion and Empowerment, and the first step toward those values is to listen. Our recruitment team proudly held our first Voices of ASP focus group across all divisions to hear straight from our employees what they wanted to change, and what we could continue to do, to make ASP a great place to work. Voices of ASP consisted of volunteers from Aviation, OSR, Canine, and Security, as well as Supervisors, Concierges, Specialists, and Crossing Guards from the Residential and Commercial Divisions.

Some areas where our employees felt we were doing well and wanted to continue were:

  • Team events such as Wonderland Day and Christmas parties
  • Employees reported that they enjoyed the types of jobs ASP had
  • Good growth opportunities and great career experience in security
  • Improvements connecting to and communicating with the management team

Constant improvement is pivotal to any growing organization, and we welcome the feedback. For those who were not able to participate in our focus group event, we will be opening the opportunity to speak with our team 1on1 to anyone interested. What you say remains completely anonymous but allows us to provide feedback directly to your managers.

Some of the feedback we received regarding areas of improvement:

  • Better acknowledgement for going above[1]and-beyond
  • Increases in pay for minimum wage employees
  • Improvements to uniform fit, quality, and ensuring all guards are wearing it properly
  • Better systems to get in touch with Scheduling Team
  • More on-the-job training

If you’d like your
voice heard, please reach
out to ASP Recruitment at
recruitment@security-asp.com
for a link to a 15-minute meeting
with someone from our team
before January 30th, 2022

Let’s Make the Fourth Wave the Final Wave!

What Can We Do?

  • Get vaccinated – protect yourself and others
  • Be aware of risks associated with different settings
  • Wear face masks indoors – properly worn face masks are your best defense against the virus
  • Continue to wear a mask in busy outdoor areas like campgrounds, playgrounds and dog parks
  • Maintain social distancing – Health Canada still encourages us to minimize close contact with others.
  • Keep hands and surfaces clean
  • If you feel sick, even with just a sore throat, you should stay home and self-isolate if you have symptoms
  • Continue to avoid non-essential travel
  • Socialize outdoors whenever possible
  • Avoid crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation —especially with the unvaccinated.

Take Care of Your Mental and Physical
Health by:

  • Adjusting your expectations based on what is in your control
  • Have a backup plan if something is not available (school/daycare, gym, etc.)
  • Take advantage of nice weather and spend time outdoors
  • Acknowledge that pandemic fatigue is real and make use of our EAP (LifeWorks program) if you are experiencing mental health concerns like anxiety, stress, or depression

Collectively, our actions can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep our families, friends, and co-workers safe. As the pandemic drags on through a fourth, intense wave, front line hospital staff are running on empty tanks, and we owe it to them to take precautionary measures and make it through this wave without overburdening our healthcare system.


By Darren Scott, Manager Resource Planning

For security reasons, every 40 days your password for the inTime app will need to be reset. Please follow the below directions to reset your password.

1. Select Forgot Your Password

2. Enter Organization ASPInc, Username
and Select Reset

A link will be emailed to you. Follow the instruction in the email. If you do not receive an email contact Human Resources to update your email address in your profile.


By Darren Scott, Manager Resource Planning

Never miss an available posting again using the inTime App. The inTime App improves communication by putting your schedule on your smart phone.

From the App you can:

  • View your schedule. No more logging on to your desktop to see what days you’re working and when you have vacations. Easily make plans around your work schedule.
  • Sign up for shifts and overtime
  • Apply for leaves
  • Sort and filter available postings
  • Receive mobile alerts and notifications. Was there a change to your shift start time? The app will send you an alert as soon as a change made.
  • Punch in and out

Have you set your Preferences?

Using your portal or inTime App you can tell Resource Planning when you prefer to work. When an individual shift is open, or a long-term assignment becomes available your preferences are reviewed to assist scheduling. Without having preferences set on your portal you may be overlooked.

For more information regarding the App or if you require assistance, please contact the Resource Planning Department.