COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
A guide to the technologies and trends shaping the market
Presented by:
PROTECTING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
Security experts discuss what it takes to keep properties safe today, such as effective training and the latest technology solutions By Canadian Security Staff
Ca nadian Security recently sat down with industry experts to discuss the latest trends related to security for commercial properties.
Presented by Mappedin, the discussion was moderated by Canadian Security editor Neil Sutton and featured panelists Brian McIlravey, director of public safety and enterprise security solutions for Mapped-
in; Jason Larkin, director of security operations for Menkes; and Jody Reid, director of security, Western Canada, H&R Reit.
The discussion tackled hot topics such as providing customer service in relation to the protection of people and assets; how the latest technologies are optimizing security departments; video analytics applications; training of frontline staff; coordination between departments to achieve organizational
goals; working with first responders; and a look at the current and future threat landscape.
CUSTOMER SERVICE VERSUS PROTECTION
Kicking off the roundtable, Sutton asked the panelists their thoughts about how much of the security function today is concierge and customer service versus protection of people, property and assets. Larkin replied that it is a constant debate within the
sector and that people look at corporate security and residential security through different lenses.
“It’s not as easily separated into service and protection. I think it’s really both, they reinforce each other,” Larkin said. “Today’s security should really be [about] protecting assets and building relationships. And for me, I think those relationships get built each day by the tenants entering the building and the first [and last] people they see is your security.”
Larkin says it’s about a 50-50 split between the two, with the service end supporting the protection aspect of operations. Security professionals who have strong de-escalation skills offer a great deal of value to organiza-
“Today’s security should really be about protecting assets and building relationships.”
— Jason Larkin, Menkes
tions for making people feel more welcome and that they can reach out to security teams when something feels amiss.
Reid said that a balanced approach is necessary for security operations to be effective in both roles, adding that frontline staff need to be competent in their ability to deal with crisis situations, as well as be effective customer service representatives.
“I think it’s a balance between the two,” he said.
One aspect that has changed compared to traditional roles is that security professionals are now expected to create a positive experience for visitors and employees in addition to protecting assets, McIlravey noted. He added that there are studies that show visitors are more likely to return to places where their experiences interacting with security have been positive and they feel safe.
“The employees have to have a good experience when they walk in. From the time they get into the building, go through the turnstile, up the elevator, into the office, around the office, they have to feel protected,” he said. “We have to make it easy, and a lot of things have changed in the last five years, 10 years, on how we make that happen.”
Visitors and employees who feel comfortable approaching security professionals are more likely to report suspicious activities or if something goes wrong. However, people also need to feel confident that a security guard is able to step in and manage situations.
“The human factor of that communication and the comfort side is sometimes very impactful on the direction a negative situation will go,” Larkin said.
OPTIMIZING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
W hen asked how technology enables organizations to optimize security departments, Reid said it allows companies like
his to provide a higher level of security and safety than ever before. By adopting technologies like CCTV, analytics and AI, companies can now monitor much wider areas and be alerted faster.
“Between the reporting, the CCTV, the analytics that are out there today, I just think we have a much broader reach than we ever had before, and we’re very lucky to have that, and it’s just increasing,” he said.
Larkin said technologies have allowed the industry to move from the old school night watch guard to a much more predictive operation.
“If we’re using it right, and we’re introducing it in the right means and ways, it should help identify trending,” he said. “We can see where repeated attempts are made by bad actors — people that shouldn’t be in those spaces. Just the ability of having online reporting nowadays allows you to build trends geographically throughout your building.”
Using technology allows security companies to identify recurring issues across multiple buildings or locations.
“I can then address it at my level and it’s the technology that’s really allowed that to happen,” Larkin said. “It’s not going to replace people; it’s really just optimizing the performance of what we have and allow us to address things efficiently.”
McIlravey added that the adoption of AI to quickly sort through the abundance of data being generated is a key aspect of improving efficiencies in operations.
VIDEO ANALYTICS
While video analytics are being used by companies to measure data and achieve security objectives, it is also being shared by security operations with other departments to improve other areas of company operations.
Mappedin, for example, provides highly
“Employees have to have a good experience when they walk in.”
— Brian McIlravey, Mappedin
accurate indoor mapping tools that security operations can use to help meet their objectives while also benefitting other divisions within the organization by serving broader functions with the same data.
Larkin shared an example of data-sharing by describing how his organization collects foot traffic data for two buildings it oversees which are connected to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
For security operations, using video analytics to identify impediments to the flow of foot traffic after a busy event with 16,000 people exiting the building is incredibly helpful. It also provides additional value to their clients.
“Originally it was for us to understand some key areas that we were questioning. It then moved into being highly valuable to our retail tenants. Those retail tenants want to know what the flow is,” he explained, adding that retail and pedestrian flow is important information for people looking to lease retail spaces.
ENSURING EFFECTIVE TRAINING
With the adoption of the latest technologies, companies need to ensure staff are properly trained on the use of those tools, and that they know what to do if they aren’t working.
“ I think there’s a lot of training that people do for the function. But what we need to be looking at is that resiliency, and for what to do when that function isn’t working,” Larkin said. “I tend to look to a lot of our vendors and say, ‘You’re the expert. You’re bringing this on board, let’s have a training session, because I’m going to learn something.”
Scenario-based drills need to go beyond the classroom, and training needs to be regularly evaluated by supervisors to assist employees to help them fill in any knowledge and skill gaps, Larkin explained.
“It can’t just end in the classroom and
then you deploy your staff and you’re like, ‘OK, go have at it.’ We need to have steps and processes to then evaluate those scenario-based trainings,” he said.
Vendors can assist with effective training of security personnel. McIlravey said the first step is to look at the types of systems and processes being used and their complexities.
“ You can have a very simple system that you can train in a day and you’re good for a year. To the opposite, you might have someone working a very complex type of system that requires more training,” he said.
McIlravey added that there are many different options for training staff on technologies availa ble today, including in-person training, Zoom training, online courses, PDFs, and more. In addition to having various avenues for training, companies need to understand the frequency of the training required for a particular technology.
“ When you take all those, you can create a graph or a chart that says, ‘OK, this is my system, this is how often they have to be trained,’” McIlravey explained.
COORDINATING TO MEET GOALS
Security operations regularly need to coordinate with other departments within their companies, as well as work with outside agencies such as first responders to help build positive relationships both inside and outside the organization to meet their security goals.
By working with other departments, such as HR and legal, for example, security operations can learn perspectives about operations that they may not have considered otherwise. It is also important to build rapport with tenants so when security operations need to reach to them, there’s an existing relationship to build on.
“If you haven’t built the relationship, it’s going to be a very standoffish,” Larkin said.
This includes building relationships with first responders such as neighbourhood community police officers.
“ Establishing those [relationships] at your buildings is vital, and allowing them to come to site, meet with your coordinators or supervisors and staff. We’ve gotten to the point where we’ve asked them, ‘Can you walk around with the guards…? This is police and security working together for the safety of the neighborhood,” Larkin said.
THE THREAT LANDSCAPE
What does the threat landscape look like today for commercial facilities? For Larkin it’s less about a singular catastrophic event such as a fire, and more about persistent layered pressure on security teams from the threat landscape constantly changing.
“ The threat landscape is so different. If you looked five years ago, you look pre 9/11, and now you look pre-Oct. 7, there are so many dates that people can sit there and say, ‘Well, I knew this, and then on this date, this changed… I firmly believe that those will continue,” he said.
While he says Canada is fortunate not to have the level of active shooter incidents that are apparent in some countries, he believes this is changing.
“ We’ve seen it recently in B.C. I think you’ll start to see that landscape change, and I think that having the ability to gain knowledge quickly, spread knowledge quickly through mass notification systems, I think is a great threat landscape tool,” Larkin said.
Reid said major cities across the country have seen a dramatic increase in social disorder. To help manage this, he said security companies need to take a hard look at the tools and training that they’re providing staff.
In the 30 years he’s been involved in the security industry, Reid said frontline security staff are being asked to do more on a daily basis than ever before. Having knowledge and training related to the latest technologies, including AI, will help them meet the expectations and needs of clients, as well as meet the goals of the security department. | CS
Beyond Static Floor Plans: How Indoor Mapping is Redefining Security Operations in Commercial Real Estate
The convergence of tenant duty of care, evolving threat landscapes, and technology integration demands is forcing commercial property security leaders to rethink their foundational tools.
By Brian McIlravey, Director of Public Safety & Enterprise Security Solutions, Mappedin
For decades, security directors in commercial properties have operated with a fundamental disadvantage: static, outdated floor plans that fail to reflect current building configurations, tenant layouts, or critical infrastructure locations. This information gap is becoming increasingly dangerous as buildings grow more complex. Modern commercial properties feature intricate multi-level layouts, multiple access points, evolving tenant spaces, and infrastructure that changes regularly.
This operational reality has become untenable as the security function itself evolves. Today’s commercial property security management balances dual mandates: traditional protection of people, property, and other assets alongside expanded roles in tenant experience, concierge services, and operational support. This broader scope demands technology that enables optimization across multiple functions, not just reactive incident response.
Visibility is the New Operations Imperative
The ability to visualize detailed interior layouts for incident and event management applications has emerged as a new operations imperative. Modern threats require coordinated responses between security teams, building operations, IT departments, HR, and external first responders. Static floor
plans cannot support this level of coordination.
Interior mapping platforms address this gap by providing mission-critical location intelligence that integrates with existing security infrastructure. Unlike traditional building information management (BIM) systems designed for construction and facilities teams, single-source indoor mapping platforms deliver real-time, current interior layouts accessible to everyone who needs them— from security personnel to arriving emergency responders.
The technical architecture matters significantly. Commercial properties typically operate diverse security ecosystems: video management systems (VMS) from one vendor, access control from another, intrusion detection from a third, and event notification platforms tying it all together. Modern mapping solutions integrate with virtually any security, safety, and building automation platform through APIs and software developer kits (SDKs), providing heightened insight and unparalleled
location accuracy across the entire technology stack.
A Platform Approach to Security
There’s simply no reason commercial properties should operate with outdated, disconnected maps and information. Indoor mapping technology has emerged as a comprehensive platform that addresses these challenges by providing emergency organizations with the accurate, accessible, and actionable building intelligence they need. At Mappedin, we’re leading this transformation by delivering digital mapping solutions that integrate seamlessly into security and emergency response workflows for enhanced tenant duty of care, timely incident response, multi-function operations, and first responder coordination. For security directors building their technology wish lists, the question to ask isn’t “Do we need better floor plans?” but rather “How much longer can we operate without location intelligence at the center of our security strategy?”
The New Face of Building Security
Why identity-first access is the trend commercial properties must know about
If look back at the history of building access, a clear pattern emerges. Each generation of access technology has done the same thing: close the gap between the security system and the person accessing it. Mechanical keys were physical proxies for trust. RFID cards digitized that proxy. Smart cards added encryption. Mobile credentials moved the token onto a personal device with another layer of security. Each step improved security and convenience— but every one of them still relied on something separate from the user.
That pattern has now reached its logical conclusion. Face recognition eliminates the token entirely. The credential is no longer something you carry, remember, or download. It is you.
Why This Trend Is Accelerating Now
Several forces are converging to push commercial buildings and facilities toward identity-based access. Hybrid work has made building occupancy unpredictable, and the rotating mix of employees, contractors, and flex tenants makes credential management a real challenge. Technological advancements have taken face recognition accuracy to levels unthinkable a decade ago, with false acceptance rates as low as one in a million. And the post-pandemic expectation of touchless experiences has made contactless access a baseline demand rather than a premium feature.
Fast-forward to today, and the tech has caught up to the need. Salto’s XS4 Face is the first single-source face recognition access control solution on the market. It turns the user’s face into their only credential. No cards, no fobs, no phones required.
The Bigger Shift: Physical Meets Digital
The convergence of IT and physical security has been discussed for years, but face recognition is what finally makes it operational. The IT world abandoned perimeterbased trust long ago. Zero-trust architecture is built on a clear principle: never trust, always verify. Physical security is now arriving at the same inflection point. When the
credential is the person, the door no longer trusts a token, it verifies identity biometrically, confirms authorization, and does it all in a split-second.
This convergence unlocks a platform shift. Physical Identity and Access Management systems tie into HR platforms and IT directories so that physical access rights follow the same logic as network permissions. Onboarding triggers provisioning. A completed contract triggers revocation. The same identity that grants network access now governs which doors open and when. For properties operating in regulated industries, this unified model satisfies both security mandates and privacy requirements without forcing a choice between the two.
Where the Trend Line Points
Every previous generation of credential improved on its predecessor but still carried an inherent vulnerability: separation from the user. Face recognition closes that gap permanently. For commercial property owners and managers watching market trends, this is not a technology to evaluate someday. It is the trajectory the industry is already on, and the buildings that adopt identity-first access now will be the ones best positioned for whatever the workplace becomes next.
Face as a Credential
Salto XS4 Face allows users to gain entry using only their face as a unique credential, eliminating the need for mechanical keys, badges, keycards, or other physical tokens.
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STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
Providing integrated security solutions across Canada with threat-risk assessments, guarding, mobile patrol, background screening, cybersecurity and more.
Rethinking Commercial Property Security: Why Integration Is Now the Most Valuable Asset
Commercial properties across Canada are facing a new and more complex set of security challenges: increased safety incidents, higher expectations for a concierge-style tenant experience, rising operational demands, and pressure to justify every dollar of security spend. At the same time, parking facilities have become critical risk zones—requiring enhanced monitoring, faster response capabilities, and new opportunities to unlock value from underused spaces.
In response, leading providers across the industry are moving toward unified security ecosystems.
At ECAM and GardaWorld Security, we design security programs built for today’s reality. The traditional fragmented model—relying on separate vendors for guarding, technology, and parking—can no longer keep pace with the demands of modern, interconnected commercial properties. Organizations now expect integrated security programs that enhance safety, elevates the tenant experience, streamlines operations, and delivers measurable value across the entire site, including its parking assets.
This model brings together on-site personnel, advanced technologies, and intelligent parking within a single, coordinated framework. Mobile Surveillance Units (MSUs) expand coverage across large or remote areas, while AI-driven analytics enable realtime detection and rapid response. Integrated with connected parking and centralized management, this approach delivers stronger protection and greater efficiency than any siloed model.
The Power of an Integrated Approach Integration is more than bundling
services; it is about building an integrated operating model where guards, cameras, AI analytics, access control, and parking systems work together to prevent incidents, improve visibility, and reduce operational complexity.
At ECAM, this integrated approach is structured around three essential pillars:
1. Intelligent Technology for Modern Buildings
ECAM’s AI-enhanced video analytics, access control, intrusion detection, and real-time monitoring help identify risks early. Supported by GardaWorld Security responders, technology enables proactive, intelligence-driven protection rather than a standalone tool.
2. Human Presence, Elevated Experience
Tenants and visitors expect reassurance without disruption. GardaWorld Security professionals provide a visible, professional presence with specialized training in de-escalation, fire warden protocols, active shooter awareness, and tenant safety. This balance of hospitalitydriven service and rapid response directly enhances the tenant experience modern commercial properties demand.
3. Turning Parking Into a RevenueGenerating
Asset
Parking facilities are now both a security priority and a business opportunity. Through our partnership with clicknpark, property owners can unlock new revenue streams using digital parking models, license plate recognition (LPR), contactless payments, and shared
revenue programs—while improving safety and operational efficiency.
Measurable Impacts of an Integrated Security Model
Integrated security delivers more than operational efficiency; it provides measurable improvements across commercial properties. By unifying personnel, technology, and parking management within a unified operating model, property owners see stronger safety, better service quality, and improved financial performance.
Key impacts include:
• Faster detection and response through unified monitoring and AI analytics.
• Lower operating costs by eliminating multi vendor inefficiencies.
• Improved tenant experience through consistent, coordinated service.
• Increased parking revenue through digital tools and optimized use.
• Stronger decision making with centralized data and clearer visibility.
A Modern Standard for Modern Properties
As operational pressures intensify, security can no longer function in silos. Integration is now a strategic driver of resilience, performance, and asset value. By aligning people, technology, and revenue-generating infrastructure within one accountable model, property owners enhance protection and elevate the tenant experience. In today’s market, integration is not an upgrade — it is a competitive advantage.
With integrated security solutions from ECAM, powered by advanced technology and delivered with GardaWorld Security’s field expertise, you gain early visibility into risk and faster, more informed response— without added complexity.
Learn more at ecam.com