Executive close protection
Single-officer or multi-officer details accompanying executives, board members and family principals during NCR visits.
Ottawa · NCR · Close protection · Bilingual · PSISA licensed
Bodyguard Ottawa
Bilingual PSISA-licensed bodyguards and close protection officers for executives, diplomats, public figures and private clients across the National Capital Region.
- PSISA — Private Security & Investigative Services Act
- $5M Insurance
- 24/7
Why Ottawa businesses need real security
A bodyguard in Ottawa is the right service for a narrow set of situations — but when it's the right service, the difference between a competent close protection officer and an under-qualified one is enormous. The role is part risk assessment, part advance work, part driving, part communication and only occasionally part physical intervention. Hiring a bodyguard means hiring someone who can prevent the situations that other services only react to.
Vision Security provides bodyguard services across Ottawa and the NCR for executives, diplomats, public figures, family principals and visiting dignitaries. Every close protection officer holds an active PSISA security guard licence, works fluently in both languages, and is selected for the specific principal based on language, dress, vehicle proficiency and any required specialty. We work in suits, in business casual, in plain clothes — never in uniform unless specifically requested.
Ontario law restricts armed close protection to a narrow set of permits and use cases. The vast majority of Ottawa bodyguard mandates are run unarmed, which is appropriate for the threat profile most clients face. Where armed protection is genuinely required, we coordinate with appropriately licensed partners under documented protocols.
What's included
Diplomatic close protection
Bilingual cleared bodyguards supporting visiting diplomats, embassy staff and bilateral delegations.
Public figure protection
Discreet protection for media personalities, public figures and political figures attending events in Ottawa.
Visiting dignitary support
Short-term close protection for international visitors, federal-related delegations and trade missions.
Residential close protection
Bodyguard coverage at the principal's residence — gate, interior, escort outside the property.
Travel & transport details
Airport meet-and-greet, secure ground transport in unmarked vehicles, hotel arrival coordination and movement between meetings across the city and Gatineau.
Event close protection
Discreet close protection at conferences, weddings, galas and brand activations.
Multilingual close protection
Bodyguards available in English and French (always), plus Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, Russian and other languages on request — selected to match the principal.
Industries we serve
Executives & boards
C-suite executives, board members and founders visiting or operating in Ottawa.
Diplomats & dignitaries
Diplomatic staff, foreign government officials and bilateral delegations.
Public figures
Media personalities, athletes and political figures attending events or visiting Ottawa.
Family offices & HNW principals
High-net-worth principals requiring confidential close protection.
Federal-adjacent professionals
Senior consultants, contractors and government-relations professionals operating in sensitive matters.
Legal & high-stakes proceedings
Witnesses, executives and family members in high-profile legal proceedings.
Post-threat situations
Individuals dealing with stalking, harassment or post-incident risks requiring temporary close protection.
Private events at residences
Weddings and milestone events where one or more attendees require an on-property bodyguard.
Ottawa neighbourhoods & areas served
- Centretown — Downtown core — federal departments, embassies, towers and high-rise condos. Where most of our daytime concierge and overnight commercial work runs.
- ByWard Market — Historic market district — restaurants, bars, hotels, the US Embassy, condos. Heavy weekend nightlife coverage and hotel security.
- Parliamentary Precinct — Wellington and surrounding streets — Parliament Hill perimeter, federal buildings, contractor support. Sensitive operations only.
- Glebe — Established residential neighbourhood with significant condo and rental activity — TD Place stadium and Lansdowne event coverage.
- Westboro & Hintonburg — West-end mixed-use neighbourhoods — condos, retail strips and family homes. Strong condo and concierge demand.
- Rockcliffe Park & New Edinburgh — Diplomatic residences, ambassadorial homes and high-net-worth estates. Discreet residential and private security.
- Sandy Hill — University of Ottawa neighbourhood, embassy row and student housing — mixed residential and institutional security work.
- Vanier — Densely populated east-end neighbourhood with significant retail and rental footprint — mobile patrols and after-hours coverage.
- Kanata — Tech-corridor suburb — Kanata North business park, software headquarters, Canadian Tire Centre arena, suburban condos and retail.
- Orleans — East-end suburb across Highway 174 — large suburban retail centres, condos and family housing.
- Barrhaven — Fast-growing south-end suburb — large retail clusters, condo developments and residential security demand.
- Nepean & Bells Corners — South-west Ottawa suburbs with industrial, retail and residential mix — strong mobile patrol territory.
- Gloucester & Cyrville — East-end industrial and commercial corridor — distribution centres, business parks, mobile patrol and construction security.
- Stittsville & Manotick — Outer suburbs and rural-edge communities — gated estates, banquet venues and private events.
- Gatineau (across the river) — Quebec-side cross-river coverage — events at the Canadian Museum of History, federal buildings and conferences. We coordinate BSP-licensed coverage on the Quebec side as needed.
Licensing & compliance
Every bodyguard Vision Security deploys in Ottawa holds an active PSISA security guard licence. Where applicable, close protection officers also hold security clearances and additional permits issued by the appropriate authorities.
Insurance & trust
Vision Security carries $5,000,000 commercial general liability and full WSIB coverage in Ontario. Higher liability limits can be arranged for specific mandates on request.
Emergency availability
Response time: Priority bodyguard dispatch within hours, sustained close protection planned within 24 hours
When a close protection need arises suddenly, our 24/7 NCR dispatch can place an interim bodyguard within hours and a full sustained close protection plan within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
The risk of hiring the cheapest security agency
When a bid comes in well below market, the savings are usually being generated somewhere illegitimate. The most common shortcuts:
- Unlicensed guards. Officers without active provincial licences working under another guard's name. If anything goes wrong on site, the legal liability lands on the client.
- Insurance gaps. COIs that look real but expire mid-contract, or commercial general liability limits well below what a prudent property owner would accept.
- No supervision. No site visits, no log reviews, no named supervisor. Officers go ungoverned and post orders quietly stop being followed.
- Cash-only payroll. Officers paid under-the-table without WSIB or CNESST coverage — illegal and a direct liability transfer to the client if an officer is injured.
- National call-centre dispatch. Overnight calls go to a generic answering service that just takes a message. By the time anyone responds, the situation has escalated.
Ask any agency for: agency licence number, $5M COI naming you, training records, supervisor schedule and a 24/7 dispatch number that rings to a real person. If they can't produce all five, walk away.
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Hire a licensed bodyguard in Ottawa
Tell us about the principal, the schedule, and any specific concerns. You'll get a confidential proposal and a quote — typically within one business day.