What is PIABC

PIABC is an Association of Professional Licensed Private Investigators and Security Consultants in British Columbia. We also offer an Associate membership option to Private Investigators and Security Consultants lawfully licensed in other jurisdictions.

The Mission of PIABC is to establish and maintain a high standard of ethics for its members; to disseminate information relating to ethical practice in private investigation; to provide professional development to its members, to encourage association between owners and operators of private investigation companies, agencies and security professionals; to educate the communities which the members serve about private investigation and the services rendered to the public.

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

PIABC has a code of ethics and professional conduct. Our members agree to abide by this code and are therefore accountable for their actions

The Private Investigator’s Association of BC has adopted a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct developed by the Association. The PIABC-Code of Ethics provides rules and principles of professional conduct and ethics by which members will conduct themselves in discharging their professional duties and responsibilities. Any member who contravenes any of these rules and /or principles shall be accountable to the Ethics Committee and the Board of Directors of the Association. PIABC members shall be mindful of their responsibilities to the Private Investigation Profession and shall carry on their work with fidelity to clients or employers, with fairness to employees and with loyalty to the Association, in a manner worthy of a Professional Investigator.

Private Investigators have an important role to play in society. In performance of that role the investigator’s actions have an effect on the welfare of other people. Because of their social responsibilities, members of a profession are obligated to act in the interest of these other parties, who have a stake in the nature and quality of professional activities. These stakeholders include employers, clients, various identifiable third parties, and the public at large. Therefore, the professional organization and its members have a stake in the performance of individual members. The Code of Ethics applies to the behaviour of members of the Association when they either perform the role of a private investigator or represent themselves as members of the Association.

Our Members

Members of PIABC include the following:

  • Private Investigators or Security consultants licensed by the Province of British Columbia (both unrestricted and under supervision licenses) Individual Members have voting privileges and may hold a position of Board Member in the Association. To hold a position on the Board of Directors, they must hold a full non-restricted Professional License.

  • Businesses can register as a Corporate Registrant whether they are a corporation, partnership or a proprietorship. Businesses applying for registration with PIABC commit to adhering to the same ethics standards as an the individual members. The benefit to registering with PIABC as a business includes business advertising and marketing as well as business insurance discounts. The business insurance savings offered by our recommended insurance brokers often more than offset the cost of registering a firm with PIABC.

  • Private Investigators licensed to operate in other jurisdictions (such as other Provinces or in other countries). These members qualify for Associate Member status. Associate members have the rights as Members pertaining to receiving information and personal attendance at the PIABC events and meetings.

Membership may be approved after the receipt of an application to join PIABC, payment of fees, and verification of qualifications to ensure that applicants meet all of the Association’s criteria. PIABC retains the right to refuse membership or corporate registration applications at its sole discretion. Credit card payments processed at the time of the application for membership or corporate registration will be refunded in if an application is denied.