Security Guard Services in Oshawa and Durham, ON

See the Canada page for coverage across Canada.

Retail Districts Covered in Oshawa and Durham

Coverage includes shopping centers and districts across Durham Region:

• Oshawa Centre
• Pickering Town Centre
• Whitby Mall
• Durham Centre, Ajax
• Downtown Oshawa
• Downtown Whitby

Security Considerations in Oshawa and Durham

Durham’s regional malls serve a fast growing commuter population, so the busiest periods fall on evenings, weekends and the weeks before major holidays. Large enclosed centers with multiple anchors and transit stops need entrance coverage, parking lot patrols and officers who can support individual tenants with loss prevention and incident reports. Big box power centers along the 401 interchanges add wide lots where lighting and vehicle activity deserve attention after dark.

The region also holds a significant industrial and logistics footprint, from automotive plants in Oshawa to distribution centers in Whitby, Ajax and Pickering. These sites typically need gate control, truck and driver checks, dock monitoring and round the clock posts. Highway congestion between Pickering and Clarington can affect shift changes, so relief and supervision routes should be planned around traffic patterns rather than map distance.

Campus areas near Ontario Tech University and Durham College, along with arena and community events at the Tribute Communities Centre, bring periods of heavy foot traffic. Residential towers and new mixed use buildings in Pickering and Whitby increasingly call for concierge and lobby coverage with visitor management and package room oversight.

Security Services in Oshawa and Durham

Screening, Training and Supervision

Officers complete a five-stage screening process and tier-based training before assignment, including de-escalation and, for retail posts, organized retail crime recognition. Supervisors make unannounced site visits, and the McCray Operations Desk answers 24/7/365. Incidents are documented on scene, and clients receive reports in the same format at every location.

Ontario Licensing

Security licensing in Canada is set by each province. In Ontario, a site can be staffed by McCray officers, by officers from licensed local security companies that hold the licenses the province requires, or by both, and McCray manages the program: screening and training standards, supervision, Post Orders, reporting and account management.

Common Questions

Can one program cover sites in several Durham municipalities?

Yes. A single program can include locations in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and Clarington, with Post Orders written for each site. Reporting follows the same format at every location so the sites can be reviewed together.

How is security guard coverage priced?

Rates depend on the officer classification, hours, schedule and site requirements. McCray provides a written rate schedule after reviewing the needs of each site. Holiday, overnight and short-notice coverage is billed at a premium rate.