Private Investigations In Canada

Lecture by a certified private investigator about his personal life history and the state of the proffession in Canada.

Good evening. It’s very nice to be here for the first time. I am grateful to Alex and Roman for the invitation and happy to see that such interesting people have gathered in a pleasant atmosphere.

My name is Pyoter, and I have been engaged in private investigations for over thirty years. One of my teachers, an outstanding and intellectual detective, once told me: “Investigation and funeral music are eternal in this world.” At first glance, this phrase seems grim, but in reality it is profoundly life-affirming: investigation will always be necessary, just as music accompanies mourning. In the past, private investigation in Russia was called the “sixth division”—that’s how private detectives were referred to in old terminology. Today we simply say “private investigation,” but the essence remains the same.

I began back in the Soviet Union: I was one of the founders of the first non-governmental agencies in the post-Soviet space. In the mid-1980s in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), a small group of former criminal investigation officers who did not want to serve a corrupt system came together. They founded the first private detective agency, “Alex,” and began taking on cases that state authorities, for various reasons, could not or would not bring to a conclusion. At that time, there was a similar community in Moscow, but it was in Saint Petersburg that the first mention of a private initiative in investigations appeared. I was working in the criminal investigation department of Kharkiv—a city with a strong tradition of solving crimes. My boss, Vitaly Nikolaevich, created a unique special brigade that even the MUR (Moscow Criminal Investigation Department) would have envied. The experience of this group was summarized and distributed throughout the entire Union as a methodological guide. They only recruited captains with at least five years of experience, but I was able to obtain an expedited promotion and join that brigade.

Originally, our group’s main specialization was solving apartment burglaries, but soon we moved on to dismantling organized crime groups, tackling serious crimes and murders. Small cells of five people were formed; each cell worked completely autonomously and was “exempt from routine duties.” We were sent all across the Soviet Union: from Kamchatka to Moscow and to many cities in Siberia and Ukraine. We learned from the best mentors, observed colleagues at work, and refined our methods of covert surveillance and cooperation with local district police officers.

By the late 1980s, corruption within the authorities had intensified to such an extent that I realized I could no longer work honestly within the system. In 1989, I left the Ministry of Internal Affairs and joined my colleagues from “Alex” in Moscow, then returned to Kharkiv, where I founded my own agency, “Stalker.” The name was not chosen by chance: to me, a “stalker” is someone who helps people navigate dangers while remaining undetected, much like in the novel. The “Stalker” team consisted of former criminal investigation officers and prosecutors who shared their skills and knowledge with me.

It is important to understand that a private detective is not simply someone who resigned from the authorities. He works “for himself” and is weakly protected by the state: there is no support system, no institutional guarantees. Therefore, a detective must think through every action very carefully: both to avoid harming the client and so as not to find himself under suspicion.

In 2010, I permanently moved to Canada, and I had to learn the specifics of working in a different legal system from scratch. There is no “sixth division” here, no Soviet methods; everything is based on legislative restrictions, judicial precedents, and ethical norms. When I arrived in Toronto, there were about seventeen private security agencies operating. Most employees there were married couples working “for the firm.” The specialization of “Stalker,” both in Russia and here, was different: we investigated serious crimes, thefts, frauds, as well as family disputes, debts, and other “gray” situations that require the delicate approach of both psychologist and researcher simultaneously.

The main principles of a private detective’s work are as follows:

1. Legality. All our actions must comply with the country’s legislation. We cannot install a “chip” under a car or use a drone without permission—that is illegal. Any unlawful method can lead to a criminal case against the detective himself.

2. Ethics. We are not entitled to violate a citizen’s right to privacy: openly wiretap a phone, hack an email account, or surreptitiously enter a residence. Often we have to work the “old-fashioned way”: gathering information from open sources, conducting surveillance, and communicating with informants.

3. Independence. A private investigator works “on his own” and must remain neutral. The client is the one who pays, but our task is not to present information in the most “advantageous” way, but rather to discover the truth with minimal harm to all parties involved.

4. Confidentiality. Any information obtained during a case cannot be disclosed without the client’s consent. A detective’s reputation is built on trust: if you break your word even once, you will not be hired again.

Many people wonder whether a private detective can investigate murders. Under Canadian law, any citizen has the right to collect information, provided it is not forbidden. You can act as a client’s representative without a license, personally examine a crime scene, take witness statements, and look for evidence. The main thing is not to break the law: you cannot conduct interviews on behalf of the police or perform a search without a court warrant. If you gather evidence, it can be passed on to law enforcement. However, in serious criminal cases, an “outsider” is generally not allowed near the case materials: such cases require the experience and connections that only the police possess. Nevertheless, there are instances when a private detective uncovers an important clue—say, security camera footage or a new witness—and hands it over to the police.

In Canada, as in Russia, a private detective has no right to forcibly detain a person. If you catch a suspect “in the act,” you can call the police and hand over your evidence. There have been cases where I personally managed to “apprehend” criminals: I collaborated with colleagues who had experience in hand-to-hand combat and knew methods of working without firearms. However, force may only be used in self-defense. If you “whack” someone over the head, it can backfire on you: police investigations and lawsuits will be inevitable.

Practical Example. In one investigation in Toronto, I handled a case involving the disappearance of two trucks, each worth over $150,000. The client was a large construction company that had financed the purchase and held them as collateral. The vehicles vanished without a trace, the owner disappeared, and the police “hit a dead end”—they could not quickly determine his whereabouts because the cunning fraudster regularly changed his mailing address. It took me six months to track down his “postal channels” and secure formal delivery of legal notices. When I handed the documents to him, he voluntarily returned both vehicles. This example shows that often it is not necessary to use forceful measures to “trap” a criminal. It is enough to conduct a thorough investigation, find the “pressure point”—the piece of information that will compel the individual to make contact or expose his vulnerabilities. In this case, it was the official correspondence trail, a kind of “postal footprint.”

Special attention is given to family and civil matters. Frequently, parents, relatives, or business partners try to deceive, hide facts, or wrest control of inheritance or assets. Here, the key is not strength, but knowledge of psychology and the ability to gently “push” a person toward a confession. For example, if a spouse wants to hide assets before a divorce, we can help uncover evidence of “disappearing” real estate or bank accounts and document their legal transfer chain before a sale. With kompromat—though the term may sound unusual—you can “pressure” a partner: reveal that information has been passed to a third party and compel the return of money without going to court.

Debts are another topic entirely. If there is a court judgment but the debtor hides or officially denies it, the matter becomes complicated. A private detective looks for a “lever of influence”: where the person lives, where they work, what assets they have. Placing a “hook” in the form of kompromat—though not necessarily incriminating from a criminal standpoint, often psychologically effective—forces the debtor to “settle” voluntarily. If the debtor truly has no funds, but wishes to obtain some, we employ what is called an “information button”: we reveal a fact that could harm their reputation, and the person returns the money “without court or investigation.”

Regarding licensing in Canada: a private detective license does not grant any special privileges. Occasionally, renewal difficulties arise due to reliability checks. There is a risk that the licensing authority itself will expel you from the registry if you violate something. Many colleagues operate without a license, relying solely on experience and connections, but they have no right to access certain government-regulated databases directly. Nevertheless, licensed agencies usually carry more weight with clients, but in practice, much depends on the private detective’s reputation and track record.

Briefly, here are examples of case types I handle:

• Investigations of serious crimes (in collaboration with the police or parallel information gathering to pass on to authorities).

• Establishing the circumstances of family conflicts: infidelity, joint property, contesting wills.

• Debts and collection of overdue payments: locating assets, working with informants, “information buttons.”

• Corporate disputes: checking business reputation of partners, auditing transactions, uncovering conflicts of interest.

• Employment disputes: investigating misconduct within an enterprise, gathering evidence for court.

• Missing persons investigations (including ransom kidnappings), working with law enforcement and private sources.

• Anti-corruption investigations: uncovering bribes and abuses of official position.

• Fraud prevention: financial due diligence, investigating financial pyramids.

In my work, I often appear in court as a consultant for witnesses: I teach them how to give testimony while avoiding mistakes that could ruin a case. Often a person thinks, “I know everything; I’m not afraid,” but as soon as they are called for questioning, they get confused, forget details, or misstate things. Therefore, preparation for giving testimony is a separate specialization. In the Canadian judicial system, the judge has very broad powers, and any inaccuracy can be interpreted against a person. Additionally, lawyers know how to “play for time”: they can drag out the process to drain their client morally and financially. Therefore, it’s essential to work out a strategy in advance: understand under what conditions a contract with a lawyer can be unilaterally terminated and where the “leverages” of client protection are written into the contract.

Another key skill of a private detective is surveillance. In large cities, this is a true art. The observer must not be noticed, while still following the subject in traffic, at intersections, and in shopping centers. There is an entire school of training: several car teams, rotating personnel, photography and video recording, logging entry and exit times from buildings, verifying addresses and possible routes. Any loss of the subject is a mission failure. If you are following someone and they turn onto a side street where no one is expecting you, you have to start all over. In the USSR, this was taught in special institutes; in the USA, in private detective schools; and with us, in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In Canada, these skills are still in demand but expensive: usually one day of such work costs several thousand dollars because it involves multiple people rotating shifts.

One must not neglect legal restrictions. For instance, installing GPS chips on someone else’s car without the owner’s consent is illegal. Using drones for covert surveillance in residential zones is strictly regulated. If a husband or wife tries to spy on the other, a court order is required. Without permission, any such actions can backfire on the detective: complaints to the police and hefty fines will follow. Therefore, one must always have a documentary basis for carrying out tasks.

Another significant aspect is cooperation with the police. The police work “with blinders on”: an officer is afraid to incur the wrath of superiors or the prosecutor’s office if they cannot solve a case. Yes, the police have access to databases by license plate number, financial transactions, phone calls—everything is done in seconds. A private detective lacks such capabilities. But the police officer’s advantages are limited by the system: today you are assigned to one precinct, tomorrow—to another; you have a salary, reports, deadlines. A private detective is free to choose—he goes his own way, avoiding the narrow framework of “serving the system.” However, he has no “patron,” and any wrong move can lead to a criminal case against him.

Of course, corruption exists in Canada, but it is not as widespread as it was in the late USSR. Nevertheless, often “friends” in the police turn a blind eye to certain things. Therefore, a private detective builds their strategy so as not to “run into” insurmountable obstacles. Sometimes it is more prudent to “drop out of the race” than to harm oneself or the client.

What else falls within my interests and skills? I consult on credit relations and debts, where one party seeks a court decision and the debtor hides. Here, “information buttons” are useful: compromising documents, financial reports that can be presented to the debtor to force them to repay. Information is a powerful weapon without court or investigation.

Besides investigative work, I have other hobbies that, however, intersect with the profession. I train in self-defense techniques—hand-to-hand combat, similar to forms of karate and jiu-jitsu—together with my protégés. This does not involve cutting or stabbing—we are not talking about injurious techniques, but rather how to immobilize an opponent, unbalance them, and neutralize a threat without inflicting serious harm. I demonstrate one technique: I asked a volunteer to close their eyes and stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and with just a light shove through the shoulder, I threw them off balance—without a single bruise. These skills can save a life when there is no possibility of using a weapon and one must protect oneself or loved ones.

I am also passionate about cinema and theater. In Toronto, I founded a small drama circle—a theater studio where I stage chamber performances. This summer, we will complete preparations for a new production based on a play by Valentin Krasnogor, one of the most renowned contemporary playwrights. Although I am not a professional director, our ensemble received high praise from the author for capturing his most subtle metaphors and dialogues. Theater, for me, is a “living network” of people, an opportunity to communicate, to understand others’ motivations and emotions—something that undoubtedly helps in detective practice.

Regarding pro bono assistance—I often consult people free of charge: I review contracts with lawyers, proofread agreements, and warn about potential “pitfalls.” People often find themselves in sticky situations, signing documents that are unenforceable or, conversely, impose unbearable obligations. I am willing to share my experience because reputation matters to me more than short-term profit. I am already 66 years old, and I can refuse any large fee if a client turns out to be dishonest or if a conflict of interest is evident.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize a few key points:

• Reputation is the greatest asset of a private detective. If you violate the principles of honesty even once, neither a license nor years of experience will save you.

• Effective work requires combining the skills of an analyst, a psychologist, and, in some cases, a self-defense instructor.

• Adherence to the law and ethical norms is the foundation of a successful investigation. Crossing the line can backfire on the detective rather than the criminal.

• In Canada, the specifics of the work differ greatly from the post-Soviet space: legislation, the procedure for going to court, possibilities for surveillance—all of this requires adaptation and in-depth study.

• In the field of private investigations, there are no “scammers” or “heroes” in a pure form: there are simply people who help others find truth or recover lost justice. Our path is not to be hypocritical or betray a client’s trust.

Thank you for your attention. If you have any questions or would like to discuss specific cases, feel free to contact me personally through Alex or by the phone number provided in the materials. I am ready to continue the conversation and share more detailed examples and techniques.