In order to hire a Private Investigator you need to ensure they are representing or attached to a Licensed Private Investigation Agency and not just have a Private Investigator licence. Any reputable Private investigator will have the knowledge to carry out many types of investigative undertakings. Surveillance is one of the most requested services in our industry many Private Investigation Agencies offer this service , but only a handful really have the experience and know-how to execute properly and effectively. A reputable Private Investigator will always have a solid investigative work history. Being Licensed is one thing, but knowing how to attend to most investigation is a craft and can have huge legal recourse if not handled accordingly. Make sure who ever you hire can back up their resume. Just because someone is a licensed investigator does not mean they know how to investigate. 

NOTE: A google review is a great indicator, but make sure you always look a little deeper and at times read between the lines on some of these. A knowledgeable and respected Private Investigator will know how to shepherd any investigation accordingly in search of providing their clients clarity to unknown answers or a conclusion to any quandary they may be experiencing. Do your homework before you engage any Private Investigator – Investigation Agency as there are good ones, great ones and the ones you should be running the other way from.

As the saying goes “cheaper is not always better”, and that statement holds true within the Investigative industry. As you probably have noticed, there are a lot of Private Investigation Agencies within St. Catharines and throughout the GTA and Province of Ontario. When it comes to cost, it varies greatly.

The main question is “what are you paying for?” Is it Surveillance Services, Corporate Fraud Investigation, locating a person or persons, undercover operations? Whatever the service request, it is imperative that you make sure you hire a reputable agency and not just the cheapest entity out there. In this industry, when you pay a cheap fee for anything it is usually because corners have been cut or that they are inexperienced and not as qualified as they put themselves out to be.

For example, conducting a Fraud Investigation is not as simple as some may think. It is important to note that there are a handful of Private Investigation Agencies offering this type of service that do not possess the necessary skill set, qualifications or experience to do so. The same plays out for Surveillance Services, simply following someone does not make you a qualified or skilled Surveillance Investigator. There is a lot more that goes in to a Surveillance Investigation.

Do your homework on who you are thinking about hiring. Ask them their backgrounds, meet with them at one of their offices, ask to see their license to get a good feel of their professionalism and go from there. At Haywood Hunt and Associates we pride ourselves on being subject matter experts within certain areas and employ some of the nations most reputable and qualified Investigators. All of our Investigative rates and packages are very competitive and within industry standards.

To work as a Private Investigator in Ontario and throughout Canada, you must have a valid licence and be attached to a valid licensed agency to work as a Private Investigator. Ask who ever you hire to present you with the appropriate Identification and also ensure they are representing a Licensed Agency. Attend the office and the licence should be visible for your review and inspection.

Yes. A private investigator can legally follow someone within the normal confines of the law. A skilled and properly trained private investigator will know where to draw the line and where not to tread. Make sure you hire a qualified expert and not someone posing as one. Our team of surveillance investigators are experts with several decades of surveillance experience both in the public and private sectors.

The key word is legal. If you hire a qualified team of knowledgable, professional investigators like those employed with our agency you should never encounter anything that would be deemed as illegal or unethical.

Because of privacy restrictions in place that protects those who are living in or visiting Canada, it is not legal for private investigators to seek out or obtain cell phone records. Haywood Hunt & Associates, Inc. complies to all rules set by the Canadian government and respects every individual’s right to privacy. What we can do is to use other legal methods to obtain information that can be useful for the case. These methods may involve surveillance services or fraud investigations.

At times, Private Investigators may be called upon to present evidence obtained throughout the course of their investigation. It is imperative they keep detailed notes and utilize legal and ethical methods to obtain any and all evidence. Our team of investigators have presented evidence many times throughout their decorated careers; you are in good hands with us.

All Private investigators must work within the legal perimeters of our Canadian Privacy Laws such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act “PIPEDA”. This act governs the use, collection, and disclosure of client data. Private investigators that are working for a reputable Private Investigation Agency will be professional, discreet, and respectful of this act as well as other rights of private individuals. Be very cautious who you hire and always ensure that they are reputable and are safeguarding your information and any and all information obtained through out the coarse of the investigation accordingly.

Any ethical and professional Private Investigation Agency you hire is not at liberty to share any of your information to anyone without your full consent. However, there are at times, very rare circumstances that can arise in which a court order can request that the investigation agency forward investigation details. Make sure you obtain as much clarity of certain possibilities like this one.

Even though there is no law against purchasing a GPS device or for owning a GPS device, it is important to note that there are a number of very serious laws regarding the utilization of  them. If a GPS device is used inappropriately, or if you cannot prove that it was not used inappropriately, it is very possible that you may be subject to the same laws, fines, and penalties as any common criminal. We do not ever rent out our GPS devices to the general public as you can simply purchase your own for a very reasonable cost and save some money. We also only utilize them under lawful circumstances and on very select investigation files.

The Ministry of the Solicitor General regulates Ontario’s Private Security Industry, which includes all Private Investigators and Agencies, all Security Guards and registry employees that directly employ in-house security staff. Haywood Hunt & Associates Inc. is a fully licensed Ontario Private Investigation Agency through the Ministry of the Solicitor General.