It is with great pleasure and delight that we announce that ASP has been awarded the Business Excellence Award in the large company category from the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

ASP was one of four final nominees for this prestigious award and at the Gala event on April 4, 2019, it was announced that ASP had won the award in our category. The 2019 Business Awards Gala event celebrates the significant accomplishments of the brightest and best that the Burlington business community has to offer.

This was an extremely proud moment for ASP and we wish to congratulate and thank the entire organization for making this possible.

Left to Right: Garinder Grewal, Debbie Ciccotelli, Jim Catney, Angus Wilson, Dean Lovric (President and CEO), Paul Parkinson and Natasha Stephenson-Belle.

We are proud to share this news with all our employees who have worked very hard to maintain the quality standards of ASP and to always ensure we deliver a premium service to our clients and customers. It is because of the combined efforts of each one of our employees that we have managed to achieve this success.


It is with great pleasure and delight that we announce that ASP has been awarded the Business Excellence Award in the large company category from The Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

ASP Team Photo - Wins Business Excellence Burlington Chamber of Commerce
ASP Dean Lovric Photo - Wins Business Excellence Burlington Chamber of Commerce

ASP was one of four final nominees for this prestigious award and at the Gala event on April 4, 2019, it was announced that ASP had won the award in our category.  The 2019 Business Awards Gala event celebrates the significant accomplishments of the brightest and best that the Burlington business community has to offer. 

We are proud to share this news with all our employees who have worked very hard to maintain the quality standards of ASP and to always ensure we deliver a premium service to our clients and customers.  It is because of the combined efforts of each one of our employees that we have managed to achieve this success.

This was an extremely proud moment for ASP and we wish to congratulate and thank the entire organization for making this possible.



If you’re thinking of becoming a security guard in Ontario, you’ll need to meet some provincial requirements to get your license.

It’s not as hard as it might sound though. Let’s look at what’s involved in Ontario security training and how much effort you can expect to put in.

The Basics of Being a Security Guard in Ontario

security guard in ontario

Ontario has some simple requirements that all security guards need to meet in order to get your license in the province. The Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 covers these requirements, which are in place to be sure that anyone in the job knows what they’re doing.

The first stage of Ontario security guard training is the basic training course. You must complete this course before you can take the test to get your license. Several places offer these courses:

  • Universities and colleges
  • Career colleges
  • licensed training agencies
  • In-house trainers (for a company’s own employees only)

You’ll need to complete this course whether your goal is to become a security guard or you want to do a related job, such as a bouncer, a bodyguard, or a loss prevention employee.

While various places offer these courses, the province sets some standards that all providers have to meet.

The course must provide at least 40 hours of training, including emergency first aid certification. You can choose to opt out of the first aid component if you’re already certified, provided your certification is from a St. John Ambulance or Workplace Safety Insurance Board certified trainer.

The course can be either classroom- or web-based but if it is a web-based course, it needs to provide real-time interaction with an instructor. This could also be web-based through a conferencing system like Skype so if you don’t have any classroom-based training facilities nearby, online courses can be a good alternative.

Requirements to Take Ontario Security Training

Before you can take security guard training in Ontario, there are several pieces of documentation that you’ll need. The following documents are required to apply for your license.

Proof of Eligibility to Work in Canada

You’ll need documents that show you can work in Canada. This can be proof of Canadian citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, or if you have moved to Canada from another part of the world, a valid work permit or Permanent Resident status.

Photo Identification

You also need a piece of government-issued photo ID that shows your full legal name, date of birth and signature. This could include a driver’s license or passport, for example.

Guarantor Information Form

The third item you’ll need is a completed guarantor information form. A guarantor is someone who can confirm the information in your application for a criminal record check. This can be anyone who has known you personally for at least two years, including a family member.

Alternatively, the guarantor can be someone from a list of professions in the application form, such as your employer, another licensed Ontario security guard, a lawyer, or a police officer.

The Eligibility to Hold a license – Clean Criminal Record regulation specifies what offenses can disqualify you from getting a clean record check unless you’ve received a pardon.

They can also disqualify you from continuing as a licensed security guard if you’re convicted of any of those offenses after receiving your license. In that case, you are obligated to disclose any convictions for these things to the Ontario government within five days of the conviction.

Putting Your Training to the Test

Once you have completed the basic training course, you’ll receive a completion number from the training provider. This number is required when you write the test to receive your license.

The provincial Private Security and Investigative Services department of the Ministry of the Solicitor General looks after Ontario security guard testing. The test contains 60 multiple-choice questions based on what you learn in the basic training course. You have up to 75 minutes to complete the test.

You can only write the test in person, there is currently no online option to complete it. You can take the test at certain DriveTest centers across the province.

The test is available in either French or English and the fee for the test is currently $66.50 plus HST, for a total of $75.15. Your results are normally available within two days of taking the test. Once you pass it, you’re eligible to apply for your security guard license.

If you don’t pass the test, you can retake it as many times as needed until you pass. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to pay the full fee each time you write it.

A License to Secure

Once you’ve passed the test and receive your license, you’ll be a fully-qualified security guard in the province of Ontario. There are a few things to keep in mind during this process, however.

First, you are not qualified to complete the duties of a security guard until you have your license in hand. Passing the test means you’re eligible to apply for it, but once you’ve applied you’ll need to wait until you actually receive it before you start working as a security guard.

It’s important to remember that anyone can ask to see your license in the course of duty. Any member of the public can request to see your license and while you only need to show them the front side, you do need to be able to produce it on demand.

What if You’re Licensed Outside of Ontario?

If you have a security guard license outside the province, you will still need to get your Ontario license to work in the province. Exactly what you’ll need to do to get it depends on where you’re currently licensed.

If you’re licensed in another province or territory in Canada, you may be exempt from the training course and possibly from the test. The specifics can vary depending on where and when you are licensed, so if this applies you will need to contact the province to find out exactly how to proceed.

If you’re licensed outside of Canada, you will likely need to take the course and write the test regardless of where or when you received your license.

How To Get Started

If you’re interested in becoming an Ontario security guard, the first step is to find a good Ontario security training course. Completing the course is the biggest step in the process so the sooner you get started, the better.

In the meantime, read through the information in the links we’ve shared in this post to be sure you’re aware of all the requirements and can have everything you need ready when it comes time to apply for your license.



By Sean Gallagher, Resource Recruiter

December’s spotlight article is focused on Senthuran Mathieyaparam, who is one of our Aviation Security Supervisors at Pearson International Airport.

He started in 2015 as a casual security guard and was noticed as a leader during his first year on the job. In late 2015, he moved to a full-time Terminal Patrol guard position, where he really got to focus on his customer service abilities and was able to develop his leadership skills as the experience progressed.

During 2016, Senthuran’s Manager, Garinder Grewal, noticed his drive and ambition so much that he knew he had to promote him once again to a full time night Terminal Supervisor. Not only has Senthuran bloomed in the supervisory roles, but he was trained and moved into a back- up Service Delivery Manager role in 2017 to assist during Noman Butt’s absence.

Senthuran took pride in this position and gave it everything he had. He was also trained in the Resource Planning department to help the team fully utilize the casual pool of guards that Senthuran has been developing relationships with for so long.

Senthuran aspires to become a Security Manager; I strongly feel he is not far off from that feat as he continues to set and achieve goals throughout his ASP career. In December 2018, he was recognized for his supervisory achievements by receiving the Supervisor of the Year Award for Pearson Airport.

Keep up the hard work, Senthuran, the sky’s the limit!


By Natasha Stephenson-Belle, Supervisor, Resource Planning.

As the Resource Planning Department in Burlington is expanding to better support our field operations, we would like to extend a warm welcome to our three new Resource Planners: Cathy Baboth and Colin Catney.

Colin Catney and Cathy Baboth

Each new Resource Planner brings to the team enthusiasm and team spirit that is sure to be beneficial to our operation.

We all look forward to interacting and working together as a collaborative effort to better staff to our business needs.


By Sreten Stamenkovic, GTAA Specialist, Airport Surface Maintenance Bussing, AVS.

One of our Bus Bay access control officer working at BB-21…is Tobias Almel Esguerra and he is employed by A.S.P. Inc. security company.

We would like to express our special thanks to him for the wonderful job he does in helping our passengers transferring from international flights to domestic ones. It is a joy for us to work with such a dedicated non-GTAA employee.


Tobias Almel Esguerra

He is an excellent example of how a job should be done. We sincerely hope that all his colleagues will reach his level of accountability and the passion he shows toward our passengers.


By Garinder Grewal, Service Delivery Manager

ASP Supervisor Hazel Jocson was recognized by GTAA for a Toronto Pearson Safety and Security Tier 3 Eye on Safety (EOS) Award -“Unsung Hero” for coming to the aid of 79-year-old female who fell down an escalator at the Infield Concourse.

Hazel quickly stopped the escalators and provided support to her until paramedics arrived, which took some time. The wound was large and bleeding profusely, so Hazel applied pressure and kept the injured female calm throughout. Hazel remained with the injured female until the fire department arrived, even assisting to lift her onto the stretcher.

Hazel previously assisted another injured passenger who fell in a similar incident. In response to this second incident, she followed up with a report of this hazard and explained that wheelchairs must be made readily available for passengers who require mobility assistance at the Infield Concourse (IFC).

Hazel Jocson shows off her “Unsung Hero” Award

The GTAA and ASP extends their appreciation to Hazel for her outstanding contribution to safety and security and for going above and beyond her day- to-day duties to ensure Toronto Pearson is a safe place to be.


ICTS continues to strengthen its position as leaders of the Italian aviation security sector, with two new important contracts that started in October 2018.

At the beginning of October ,2018, our ICTS Italy team commenced the Check Point security services at Pisa International Airport, following the award of the contract by the Airport Authority of Toscana. ICTS has been providing security services to Pisa Airport for several years.

“The expansion of the cooperation is testimony to the high quality and professionalism of our team at Pisa”, said Monica Salomoni, Aviation Manager, ICTS Italy. “We are delighted that the Airport recognised our commitment and capabilities”.

Later in the month, aviation security services started with Kuwait Airways at Milan’s Malpensa Airport. The ICTS Europe Group already secures Kuwait Airways at Paris Charles De Gaulle, Frankfurt and Munich airports.

“We welcome Kuwait Airways to our client base and are proud to have been chosen to secure their flights to Kuwait City”, commented Monica Salomoni. “ICTS looks forward to a long business partnership with the Airline”.

Established in 1987, ICTS Italy operates from its principal office in Rome, with additional operational centres at the main airports of Rome, Milan, Venice and Pisa. ICTS Italy specialises in the provision of security services to airports, airlines, corporate, private and public – sector clients. We are able to offer a national cover and a comprehensive range of security services.

Contact us:
ICTS Italia S.r.l. Piazza dellaLiberta 10 00192 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 65011053 Email: ayelet_it@icts.co.uk www.ictsgeneralsecurity.it


By Mark Burnett, Explosive Detection Canine Trainer

The Canine Unit has been busy with the increased holiday traffic and special events taking place with both Pearson Airport and Commercial Divisions.

The Commercial Division has provided EDD coverage for some special events, including visits from Bill and Hillary Clinton, and several Cirque du Soleil shows, in addition to the busy concert and Leafs/Raptors schedules.

The Pearson Airport Team has managed the increased volume of unattended bags and suspicious items that come with the busy time of year, with the added responsibility of being primary response to these calls for service.

Members of the team met recently with the St. John’s Ambulance therapy dog team to welcome them to Pearson Airport and to tell them about our duties and responsibilities for providing explosives detection canines to the GTAA. The meeting went very well and we look forward to seeing the therapy dogs doing their important work in the new year.

Members of ASP Canine from both divisions are continuing to work with Transport Canada in the development of national standards for the EDD screening of air cargo, with two visits to Ottawa to work dogs in trials designed to test their processes and procedures. The ASP Canine teams are representing ASP very well in Ottawa and are continuing to perform an important service to the development on these national standards.

The Canine Unit members extend season’s greetings and best wishes in the New Year to all of the ASP team and their families.