Background Checks and Criminal Records Increasing in Canada

Throughout the United States, the process of obtaining background checks and criminal records has become commonplace. While the act of learning about potential candidates before making a hire continues to increase here, other countries are catching on to the idea.

American workers in several industries have seen an increase in background checks as of late. Anyone who works with children, such as teachers; anyone who works with vulnerable people, such as caretakers in nursing homes; those in the church; those hired by state and city governments; and journalists are now all likely to undergo some sort of background check before being hired.

Most recently, employers in Canada seem to have taken notice of the effectiveness of background checks, resulting in an increased demand for the service. Last year, police officers in Ottawa processed more than 40,000 criminal record checks and report that demand for the service is continuing to grow. The BC Concessionaires also recently reported that requests for employee background checks have increased by 40 percent during the last year.