Do you own a retail business in Alberta? If so, you’ll probably know just how important it is to implement a security plan that properly protects your assets, your employees and your livelihood from theft.

This is even more important after new figures from Statistics Canada found a surge in shoplifting in Calgary - part of a growing trend across Alberta and Canada as a whole. In fact, shoplifting was largely responsible for Calgary’s growing crime rate last year.

Education facilities are meant to be a safe place for learning, but ongoing security concerns can distract from this purpose. Public schools, colleges, universities and private institutes, they are all exposed to vandalism, arson, theft and break-ins.

The reasons for criminals to target educational facilities can vary from making a political statement, an expression of anger, to wanting to cancel school or getting revenge on a staff member or peer.

No matter what type of business you own or manage in Western Canada, you’ll probably be fully aware that it faces a number of threats from theft, vandalism and even more devastating crimes.

That’s why it’s incredibly important that your organization moves away from the traditional CCTV alarms that are now no longer good enough to catch criminals, and implement a state-of-the-art verified security system.

No matter what industry your business operates in, having a proper security system in place that makes use of verified alarms is essential for the protection of your organization’s employees and assets.

Verified security technology will cut down the false alarms associated with conventional CCTV cameras, significantly speed up police response times for any criminal activity at your business, all while catching criminals in real-time before they do any real harm to your business.

Government buildings in Western Canada face a number of threats from vandalism and theft too much more violent and devastating crimes. That’s why it is critical to have effective safety measures in place.

Bored youth, disgruntled employees, angry customers, celebrators that get out of hand and protestors – there are many individuals who may commit vandalism and all for different reasons.

And the cost of vandalism goes beyond the direct expenses associated with removing or repairing damages. Vandalism can tarnish your organization's reputation, disrupt your business’ operations and cause you to lose customers who don’t want to associate with a business under attack or who fear for their safety.

Implementing a security solution to protect your small business in Western Canada from theft is probably a constant concern for your business, and with the protection of your staff members and assets in mind it 100 per cent should be. But, are you also protected against the threat of vandalism?

Vandalism can cause unnecessary damage and cost for your business. Unfortunately, virtually all business properties are subject to the threat of vandalism at some point.

2,073 – that is the unfortunate number of hate crimes that were reported across Canada in 2017 and it continues to rise every year.

Common targets of hate crimes are religious organizations, such as churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, as well as objects associated with worship located in or around these communal properties.

While Canada has recently legalized the production and sale of recreational marijuana, this isn’t the only growing market for Canadian marijuana production facilities.

Many countries around the world are now beginning to legalize medicinal cannabis, and this emerging global cannabis industry is opening up new opportunities for licensed medical marijuana production facilities across Western Canada to tap into new revenue and profit streams.

Businesses in Western Canada are subject to a number of dangers from break-ins, theft, vandalism and property damage, and that’s why a security solution is essential for the success of your company.

Another major vulnerability for your company is fire, which can cause extreme damage in a very short period of time. In fact, according to the Occupation Health and Safety Administration, fire and explosions result in more than $2.3 billion in damage every year.

Owning a business is difficult. There are so many aspects of running your company that you need to get right, and spending your time worrying about external threats such as vandalism and crime should not be on that list.

That’s why organizations across Alberta need to ensure they implement a world-class verified security solution that will allow them to focus on what matters - running their core business and driving new revenue opportunities.

Whether it’s due to arson, wildfires or human error, thousands of non-residential fires occur in Western Canada each year. These fires cause huge distress to business owners and significant damage to the organization’s they own.

The best way to protect your company from the devastating effects of fire is to analyze your risk, implement levels of protection through new technologies and train your workforce on how to act if a fire does occur. 

The keys to your business give people access to more than your building - it provides them access to your equipment, supplies, inventory, electronics and customer information.

In the wrong hands your keys can be a serious security issue, providing criminals with dangerous access to your assets, put your business and employees in danger, and cost you financially. 

On April 20 of this year, three men were arrested after robbing a Vancouver restaurant. Nobody was hurt inside the restaurant and police response was quick. Since a couple of transit officers were conveniently located just across the street, the culprits were apprehending before they were able to take off in a cab.

However, in many instances of restaurant robbery the outcome is not always so successful. 

Schools, colleges and universities are designed to be safe spaces for learning and growth. Unfortunately, in many cases across Western Canada, ongoing education facility security concerns can often be a distraction.

Employee theft – often times when we think about it, we associate it with stealing products and goods from the shelves of a retail store. However, employee theft can happen across many different industries - including construction. 

Business offices of all kinds, whether small, large, one floor or taking up an entire multi-floor property, must ensure that they are as secure as possible to prevent theft and ensure the protection of their valuable assets.

Are you a retail business owner? Have you witnessed violence in your workplace? Did you know that violence in the workplace costs the British Columbia (BC) retail industry almost a million dollars a year in worker’s compensation alone? Not only that, but millions more are lost in missing merchandise, stolen money and property damage? 

Opioids are commonly used as painkillers but they are also highly addictive. It’s for this very reason that organizations working in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries are at high risk of falling victim to violent crime.

Homemade flamethrowers, guns, and knives are just some of the incredibly violent weapons that armed robbers use when stealing opiates and opioids from a pharmacy. 

Across Canada, construction site crime is becoming a widespread problem for business owners, with $46 million in equipment being stolen every year and companies being subjected to an average of two thefts annually.