Event and Venue Security Crew

Event organizers, venues, bars and restaurants, community festivals, wedding planners and private party hosts.

Hourly rate per guard billed to the client, with a margin over what you pay staff. Larger or repeat events bring steadier income.

• Staying calm in busy settings
• Scheduling and organizing people
• Clear communication and conflict de-escalation
• Building trust with event organizers

• Agency and individual guard licences usually apply, so check your provincial regulator before taking bookings
• Commercial general liability insurance, and ask your insurer about event and crowd work
• Whether your guards are employees or contractors, since provincial and CRA rules differ, so check before you hire
• Local event permits and venue rules on who may provide security
• Rules on use of force and any limits on equipment, which you should check and cover in training
• Cash flow, because you pay staff before clients pay you, and events can be seasonal, especially in winter

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many guards you use, your insurance and your equipment. You pay staff before clients pay you, so keep spare cash for cash flow.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many events you staff and how often. Events can be seasonal, especially in winter, so income may vary through the year.

Check your provincial regulator, since agency and individual guard licences usually apply before you take bookings. Also check local event permits, venue rules on who provides security, insurance for crowd work, and whether guards are employees or contractors.