February 9, 2024

Dear CPIO Members,

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the CPIO Designation Program has cleared another major hurdle and has now, unquestionably, been established as the premier, and most prestigious, designation program exclusively for Private Investigators in Canada, and arguably, in North America.

I want to thank all the great investigators who hold various Designation levels for supporting the program and proudly using their post nominals to promote their level of expertise and professionalism to the marketplace.

When the CPIO started this journey three years ago, there was some doubt that the industry would accept the Designation Program, that the “old school” would prevail and reject the idea of formal education aimed specifically at Private Investigators. I am immensely proud of each one of you for dispelling those doubts. In this age of digitalization (i.e. our new PI Licenses) and transparency, we need to show that we are educated professionals who know what we are doing and can explain how and where we came by information obtained. The image of the lone wolf flying by the seat of their pants, giving a wry smile, and tapping the side of their nose when asked how certain information was obtained, is long gone.

Being taught by recognized professionals in the various fields, collaborating with peers, and operating as a team, is the new world in which we live and thrive in. I, for one, have seen many changes since I was first licensed in Ontario in the late 1980’s: changes to legislation, privacy, interview techniques, trademark acts, human rights acts, and all the changes to workplace health and safety. Computers, cellphones, the internet, cybersecurity, geotagging, facial recognition, crypto currency and AI, all terms with a very science fiction ring when I started but are now in mainstream use. These, and many other changes, are why we need to learn, continue to learn, and be seen to be learning, in our ever-evolving industry. These are the reasons why the CPIO has the CPE requirement for all Designation holders, new and Grandfathered. These are also the reasons why the CPIO Designation Program is the most prestigious of its kind in Canada and becoming increasingly recognised by our clients as such. The requirements for attaining and maintaining CPIO Designations does not involve simply asking for a couple of references, handing out certificates and demanding money like most of the so-called qualifications bandied around in our industry. Those “qualifications” are just the smoke and mirrors of a bygone era.

With very few exceptions, Designation holders have sent in their CPE Compliance Forms, attesting to achieving the required CPE Credits for maintaining their designations. Random verification of the attestations will take place over the next few weeks, but I am sure that few, if any, discrepancies will be found. The CPIO offers ample opportunities to obtain the required CPE Credits at little or no cost and it is inspiring to see how many of you are willing to invest in your ability to do your job, earn money for your families and promote the professionalism of your chosen industry.

If you have yet to apply for your Designation, now is definitely the time to register. All courses are discounted by 50% until the end of March 2024, which will also allow those who need extra CPE Credits to do so at minimal cost.

In other business, we needed to rewrite the By-laws governing the CPIO to be compliant with changes to the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. A virtual Special Members Meeting will be called to vote on the amended By-laws, which will be circulated in advance of this meeting. The AGM will be held after the Special Members Meeting, sometime in the Spring. It will be in-person, with a networking and fellowship event to follow. Please monitor the website for details as they become available.

We are also calling for Members to apply to join the Board of Directors, as a few positions will be coming available. Please think about joining the Board and doing your part to help grow the CPIO and make it even better. Stay tuned for Nominating Committee contact details.

It remains only for me to reiterate my thanks to you all for your continued support and to say that I look forward to meeting all of you, personally, at the AGM.

Be well and stay safe!

Yours Respectfully,

James Meadway President, CPIO