What 24/7 guard coverage actually costs
In Canada, commercial guard services are commonly quoted at roughly $25–$60 per hour per guard depending on region, licensing, and site risk. One guard post staffed around the clock is about 8,760 hours a year — which is why industry cost analyses put a single 24/7 post in the range of $250,000–$400,000 annually once supervision, coverage gaps, and turnover are factored in. A large yard needing two or three posts multiplies that number.
What remote video monitoring costs
Monitored camera programs are typically priced per site per month, scaled by camera count and review hours. Published 2026 figures range from roughly $800–$2,500 per month for typical commercial properties — around $10,000–$30,000 per year — with larger or more complex sites quoted higher. Even at the top of that range, the annual cost is a fraction of one guard post.
Cost is only half the comparison
Where monitored cameras win
- Simultaneous coverage. One analyst team can review events across dozens of camera views; a guard can only be in one place.
- Consistency. Cameras don't take breaks, call in sick, or vary in attentiveness across a 12-hour night shift.
- Documentation. Reviewed events produce time-stamped notes and camera references that support insurance claims and investigations — stronger evidence than a guard's recollection.
- Deterrence economics. Industry data suggests visible cameras plus active monitoring can reduce theft substantially, and remote intervention success rates for property crime are reported above 80%.
Where guards win
- Physical response. A camera cannot escort someone off site, check a door, or assist an injured worker.
- Ad-hoc tasks. Reception, access control desks, and inspections need people.
- Blind spots. Areas without camera coverage still need patrol or new cameras.
The hybrid answer most sites land on
The practical model for many Canadian commercial and industrial sites is monitored cameras as the continuous visibility layer, with mobile guard response (or police escalation, where appropriate) triggered only for verified events. This keeps fixed costs low while preserving physical response capability. Crucially, verification matters: escalations based on human-reviewed events avoid the false-alarm fatigue that plagues unmonitored alert systems — the core of Visualitic's Security Verification approach.
Questions to ask any monitoring provider
- Are events verified by trained analysts before escalation, or just forwarded automatically?
- What documentation is produced per event, and is it insurance-ready?
- Is camera health monitored, so failures are caught before they matter?
- Are escalation rules agreed and documented in advance?
Compare the numbers for your site.
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