Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global business operations, placing private security agencies under significant operational strain. In Ontario, Canada, these agencies faced increased demand for services in healthcare and critical infrastructure, while also contending with workforce vulnerabilities, shifting regulatory requirements, and fluctuating public trust. This study uses a comparative case study of Securitas Canada, Paragon Security, and G4S Security Canada to evaluate their resiliency and survival strategies during the pandemic. Framed by Mitroff’s Five Phases of Crisis Management and the Social Vulnerability Framework, the research examines how these strategies affected marginalized communities, particularly low-income and immigrant populations. While technological innovation, distributed teams, and service diversification supported operational continuity, they also introduced ethical concerns around over-surveillance, limited inclusivity, and uneven service delivery. The findings reveal that agencies with equity-oriented operational frameworks were better positioned to maintain public trust and service quality. This study underscores the importance of integrating cultural competency, robust accountability mechanisms, and inclusive engagement into private security governance. It advocates for a model of private security that prioritize both resilience and equity in future crisis preparedness

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