The Smith Investigation Agency

What The Smith Investigation Agency does

The Smith Investigation Agency Inc. is a Canadian full-service private investigation firm founded in 2004 by Whitney Joy Smith and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario (note: the firmographics record lists year_founded as 2014, but the company-history timeline and leadership bios consistently reference nearly two decades of operation originating in 2004, which is the more specific and internally coherent date). The firm delivers a broad portfolio of investigative services including covert surveillance with HD-4K capture, skip tracing, fraud and WSIB/WCB claim investigations, TSCM (technical surveillance countermeasures), OSINT and SOCMINT intelligence gathering, pre-employment and criminal background screening, asset and genealogy searches, cyber investigations, and executive protection. Its technology stack combines proprietary skip-tracing resources, licensed-agency-only provincial database access in each province it operates in, HD-4K surveillance equipment, and social media monitoring (SOCMINT) tooling — capabilities that are legally restricted to licensed agencies and unavailable to unlicensed searchers or general public tools.

The firm serves four primary customer segments: corporate and business clients (fraud, due diligence, internal theft, workplace investigations), legal and law firms (evidence gathering, witness location, asset discovery), insurance companies and adjusters (WSIB/WCB surveillance, staged accident inquiries), and individual consumers (infidelity, wellness checks, missing persons). Government is a secondary segment. Revenue is generated through (1) investigative services priced on hourly or retainer engagements with flat-rate exceptions for skip tracing and bankruptcy records retrieval, and (2) one-time flat-fee professional training courses sold through its sister company Training Centre Canada, including a PI Licensing Course at $199.99 + tax alongside courses in OSINT, interview techniques, security guard training, use of force, loss prevention, and first aid/CPR.

The Smith Investigation Agency operates through a direct-sales and inside-sales model, accepting engagements via website assignment forms, phone, and email across 12+ offices spanning seven or more Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) plus international destination investigations. It wholly owns two sister companies — Smith Security Inc. (security guard services and training) and Training Centre Canada (licensing and certification training) — both also founded by Whitney Joy Smith in 2011. The company remains privately held and entirely bootstrapped by its founder, with no institutional investors, private equity, venture capital, or external funding rounds disclosed in the source material.

Name

The Smith Investigation Agency

Legal name

The Smith Investigation Agency Inc.

Website

https://www.smithinvestigationagency.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Smith Investigation Agency is Canada's largest female-owned private investigation firm, delivering surveillance, skip tracing, fraud and WSIB/WCB investigations, TSCM, OSINT, background screening, and PI licensing training to corporate, legal, insurance, and individual clients across seven-plus Canadian provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Investigation Services

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation Support & Civil Investigations (Witness/Asset/Skip Tracing) (BPAKAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital/Online Investigations & OSINT (Non-cyber) (BPAKAEAF), Domestic/Family & Matrimonial Investigations (BPAKAEAG), Investigations & Background Screening Services (IMAIAEAK), Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA), Investigations, Interviewing & Surveillance Training (BPAKAOAI)

Keywords

• Private investigation services
• Surveillance services
• Skip tracing
• Fraud investigation
• Corporate investigations

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investigative Services: Primary revenue from surveillance and investigative research services charged on an hourly basis or retainer. Covers fraud investigations, infidelity, corporate investigations, WSIB/WCB claims, skip tracing, background checks, TSCM, and more. Also includes flat-rate pricing for some services such as bankruptcy records and skip tracing.
2. PI Training Courses: Professional development and licensing training programs (PI licensing course, security guard training, OSINT, interview techniques, first aid/CPR, use of force, loss prevention) sold at a flat course fee ($199.99 + tax for PI licensing course). Revenue from Training Centre Canada brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Smith Investigation Agency is a full-service private investigation firm delivering licensed investigative services across Canada. Its core offerings span covert surveillance (HD-4K capture for insurance, legal, and corporate cases), investigative research (skip tracing, asset searches, background checks, social media intelligence, OSINT, bankruptcy records, ancestry/genealogy), specialized services (TSCM bug sweeps, executive protection, cyber investigations), and a PI/security guard licensing training program operated through its sister company Training Centre Canada.

Product overview

The Smith Investigation Agency is a full-service private investigation firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of investigative services across Canada. The core offerings consist of Surveillance Services (including covert observation and documentation) and Investigative Research Services (including skip tracing, asset searches, background checks, and cyber investigations). Specialized services include TSCM (Technical Surveillance Countermeasure), OSINT, Executive Protection, and PI Training. The agency operates as a traditional service-based business rather than a software platform, delivering professional investigative services through licensed investigators across multiple provinces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surveillance Services Professional covert surveillance services including observation, photography, and HD-4K video documentation of subject activities. Used by insurance carriers, legal professionals, corporations, and individuals for insurance claims validation, infidelity, family matters, and corporate investigations.
• Fraud Investigation Investigation services to detect and document insurance fraud, workers compensation fraud, online scams, and business fraud through surveillance and research-based techniques. For insurance carriers, corporations, and individuals.
• Infidelity Investigations Discreet investigation services to determine if a spouse or partner is being unfaithful, including covert surveillance and evidence gathering suitable for divorce proceedings. For private individuals.
• Family & Private Investigations Investigation services for family matters including child custody surveillance, wellness checks, spousal activity verification, and locating family members. For individuals and family law practitioners.
• Wellness Checks Discreet surveillance services to monitor the safety and wellbeing of individuals including family members, friends, or employees who may be struggling with substance abuse or dangerous lifestyles. For concerned family members and employers.
• Corporate & Civil Investigations Business-focused investigation services including employee theft surveillance, fraud detection, workplace harassment investigations, and due diligence for corporations ranging from SMEs to Fortune 500. AIR MILES reward miles offered on all investigative services.
• Legal Investigations Investigation services supporting legal matters including evidence gathering for divorce cases, child custody disputes, witness location, and skip tracing for legal proceedings. For lawyers, attorneys, and individuals in legal proceedings.
• Insurance and Litigation Investigations WSIB and WCB claims investigation services including covert surveillance with HD-4K capture to validate workers' compensation claims, detect fraudulent activity, and support insurance litigation. For insurance carriers, adjusters, and litigation counsel.
• Undercover Operations Covert operations where investigators infiltrate workplaces or environments to gather intelligence on theft, fraud, policy violations, or misconduct. For corporate clients, loss prevention teams, and legal counsel.
• WSIB - WCB Investigations Specialized investigation services for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (Ontario) and Workers Compensation Board (other provinces) claims across Canada, including surveillance, witness interviews, and staged-accident inquiries to validate or refute claims.
• TSCM Services (Technical Surveillance Countermeasures) Professional bug detection and electronic surveillance countermeasure sweeps to identify and remove unauthorized listening devices, hidden cameras, and other eavesdropping technology in homes, offices, boardrooms, and other sensitive spaces. For executives, corporations, legal professionals, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Asset Searches Comprehensive searches to uncover hidden assets including bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, and financial information for divorce proceedings, debt recovery, or litigation. For legal professionals and individuals.
• Bankruptcy Records Professional bankruptcy and insolvency records retrieval at flat-rate pricing with no hidden fees, used for due diligence, legal purposes, and financial assessments. For legal professionals, lenders, and individuals.
• Skip Tracing Services Specialized person locating services to find missing individuals including debtors, witnesses, defendants, birth parents, or long-lost family members. Delivered through advanced skip tracing resources and an extensive licensed network with a self-reported near-98% success rate across thousands of cases nationwide. Turnaround typically 24 hours to 10 days.
• Ancestry & Genealogy Investigations Combined ancestry and genealogy investigation services using DNA results, genealogical databases, and historical records to help clients discover their heritage, identify biological parents, trace ancestral lines, and build complete family trees. For individuals seeking family history information.
• Social Media Monitoring (SOCMINT) Social media intelligence (SOCMINT) services using monitoring tools that go deeper than public platforms, collecting and analyzing content with advanced analytics for legal, insurance, and corporate cases. Pricing based on project specifics including nature, time, and resources allocated.
• Pre-Employment Screening Comprehensive background check services for employers including criminal records, employment verification, reference checks, and credential verification. For corporate HR teams and staffing professionals.
• Criminal Background Check Thorough criminal record checks including provincial and superior court searches, litigation checks, education verification, and employment history for individuals and organizations. Typical turnaround 5 to 20 business days.
• Cyber Investigations Investigation services for online fraud, identity theft, scam victimization, and cyber crimes including evidence collection and perpetrator identification. For individuals and corporate victims of cybercrime.
• OSINT - Open Source Intelligence Open source intelligence gathering from publicly available sources to support investigations and provide actionable information across legal, corporate, insurance, and personal case types.
• Executive Protection Services Professional close protection services for executives, dignitaries, and high-value individuals requiring security details and threat assessment. Delivered through sister company Smith Security Inc. personnel.
• PI Training Courses (Training Centre Canada) Professional investigator licensing and security guard training programs delivered through sister company Training Centre Canada at trainingcentrecanada.ca. Includes the PI Licensing Course at $199.99 + tax, exam preparation, CRJMC, OSINT training, interview techniques, security guard licensing preparation, use of force, loss prevention, and first aid/CPR. For individuals pursuing PI or security guard licensing and corporate compliance training buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near-98% skip tracing success rate across thousands of cases
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• A21coreOthers · 1 January 2022The Smith Investigation Agency partners with A21, a global nonprofit dedicated to rescuing victims and restoring lives of human trafficking survivors. Whitney and her team lobby Canada's Parliament for stronger laws and more immediate assistance for human trafficking victims. The company actively fundraises for A21 through donations and encourages clients and community members to become monthly donors or make one-time contributions to support rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pinkerton: Global investigative and corporate security firm offering surveillance, background checks, fraud investigation, and due diligence. Comparable to Smith as a provider of corporate and insurance investigations, though Pinkerton operates at much larger scale and broader global footprint.
• GardaWorld: Quebec-based global security services giant offering physical security, cash services, and consulting. Comparable to Smith's adjacent Smith Security Inc. subsidiary and to Smith's broader corporate/insurance investigation offerings, though GardaWorld is far larger and far broader in scope.
• Kroll: Global risk consulting and investigative firm providing corporate investigations, fraud, cyber, due diligence, and litigation support. Comparable to Smith's corporate, legal, and OSINT investigations practices, with significant overlap in serving enterprise, legal, and insurance clients.
• Control Risks: Global risk consultancy specializing in investigations, political risk, security, and integrity due diligence. Comparable to Smith's corporate, fraud, and litigation-support services, especially for cross-border investigations.
• Securitas: World's largest security services group providing guarding, mobile, and electronic security. Comparable to Smith's sister company Smith Security Inc. and to Smith's executive protection offering, though at vastly greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• HireRight: Large global employment background check and screening provider serving enterprise HR. Comparable to Smith's pre-employment screening and criminal background check offerings, though HireRight is a high-volume, technology-driven platform rather than a manual PI firm.
• Sterling: Global background screening and identity verification company serving enterprise and gig-economy clients. Comparable to Smith's background check and pre-employment screening services, with overlap on criminal records and education/employment verification.
• Northstar Investigation Services: Canadian private investigation firm offering surveillance, fraud investigation, insurance claims investigation, and corporate due diligence. Directly comparable to Smith's core surveillance and insurance/litigation investigation services, serving similar Canadian legal and insurance clients.
• Global Intelligence Network: Canadian corporate investigations firm specializing in due diligence, fraud, asset searches, and litigation support. Comparable to Smith's asset searches, corporate investigations, and skip tracing services for legal and corporate clients.

Regional players

• Paragon Security: Canadian provider of security guards, mobile patrol, and uniformed services. Comparable to Smith's sister security guarding company and to Smith's surveillance/executive protection work, but primarily a guarding-focused regional player rather than an investigations firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thesmithinvestigationagency
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSmithInvestigationAgency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-smith-investigation-agency
• Instagraminstagram.com/thesmithinvestigationagency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Smith Investigation Agency