Candidate Security Program

At the start of Canada’s 45th General Election, the Government of Canada introduced the Candidate Security Program to mitigate the risk of physical security threats to candidates. Recognizing the importance of safeguarding our democratic process, this program ensured that those seeking office were not dissuaded from exercising their democratic rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms due to real and/or perceived threats to their personal safety.

Through this program, security was provided through unarmed, private sector security services to candidates who felt intimidated or threatened but did not meet the threshold to warrant Royal Canadian Mounted Police and/or local police protection.

The provision of services was limited to Canadian citizens who were registered candidates in the 45th General Election and met the necessary criteria.

The program ran from March 29 to May 12, 2025, and provided security services to a total of 22 candidates.

What kinds of security services were available?

Close protection: Private sector security services that aimed to protect candidates from harm or attack while attending campaign events and/or during daily activities. An unarmed guard monitored the candidate’s surroundings, assessed threats, and took proactive measures to mitigate any risks they identified.

Residential security: Private sector security services where an unarmed guard monitored a candidate’s residence and reported serious security incidents to the police of jurisdiction.

All services were subject to contractor availability in the specific riding where the services were required.