Are Businesses in Uxbridge Safe? Potential Threats That Uxbridge Businesses Face

Are Businesses in Uxbridge Safe?

Uxbridge, Ontario, is known for its small-town charm, diverse business opportunities, and growing community. From heavy machinery rental to construction sites, all kinds of businesses are attracted to Uxbridge. But before moving to Uxbridge to start your own business, you might have a question in your mind; Is Uxbridge really safe for businesses to operate?

Have you ever thought about what would happen if your store was broken into? or one day you wake up, go to work, and one of your expensive machines was stolen?

These issues are not just problems on paper. They affect business owners, managers, and employees who are just trying to do their jobs and keep their dreams alive by working hard.

In this blog post, we will talk about what is it like to run a business in Uxbridge, ON and the security risks that many of the business owners face.

Uxbridge is generally considered a safe place to live and work compared to other regions of Ontario. It is also regarded as a business hub of Canada. With a total crime rate of around 1,933 incidents per 100,000 people, it’s clear that Uxbridge is doing better than many other parts of Ontario, where the average crime rate is 3,086 incidents per 100,000 people. This lower crime rate brings a sense of relief to business owners who want to feel safe in their community.

But even in a town like Uxbridge, where businesses are considered relatively safer, business owners still face security challenges. Crime may be less frequent here, but that doesn’t mean it does not exist at all. Break-ins, vandalism, and thefts still happen, especially when business owners think, “It won’t happen to us.” This mindset can leave owners and managers unprepared for unexpected incidents, and it can be a huge shock when something does happen.

To get a clearer picture, let’s take a look at the August 2024 Monthly Crime and Traffic Statistics reported by the Durham Regional Police Service for Uxbridge:

• Citizen Calls for Service in August totaled 177, a significant drop from 232 calls in July 2024. Year-to-date, there have been 1,401 calls for service, only slightly down from 1,407 calls at the same time last year.
• The General Occurrence Reports for August totaled 97, down from 119 in July. Year-to-date, 765 general occurrence reports were filed, a slight decrease from 784 last year.
• The most common types of calls include Check on Well-being with 165 calls, Impaired Driving with 82 incidents, and Domestic Incidents at 53.
• The median emergency response time for the month was 12 minutes and 57 seconds.
• Calls were prioritized with 56% being routine, followed by 33% urgent, and 11% emergency.

Uxbridge is the hub of many businesses, each contributing to the local economy in unique ways. The town offers a diverse business landscape, from small family-run stores to large construction operations.

Here are some of the different and successful businesses that you’ll find in Uxbridge:

• Retail Shops
• Restaurants and Cafes
• Small-Scale Manufacturing
• Agricultural Businesses
• Heavy Equipment Rental
• Construction Sites

Uxbridge businesses  are safer than most of the towns in Ontario, but they still face a unique set of challenges.

Here are some of the most common security issues that Local Uxbridge businesses face:

Theft is a serious and the most common concern for Uxbridge businesses that rely on heavy machinery, such as construction sites and equipment rental companies. Imagine showing up to a worksite and realizing your bulldozer or forklift is gone. It’s not just the financial loss.

It’s the stress of explaining delays to your clients and the pressure of finding a replacement. These large, valuable machines are prime targets for thieves, especially at night when sites are deserted. The solution? Installing security cameras with live video monitoring and motion sensors is a game changer. Cameras around the perimeter can capture any suspicious activity, while motion sensors trigger alerts when someone steps onto the site after hours.

Vandalism is not just about property damage; it’s deeply personal when you have invested your time and money building a business from scratch. When someone spray paints graffiti on your storefront or smashes windows, it’s like they’re attacking something you’ve poured your heart into. Vandalism scare away customers, hurt business reputation and create extra repair costs.

One way to tackle this is by investing in security cameras that cover the property’s exterior, along with strong outdoor lighting. Motion sensor cameras that activate when someone approaches can deter vandals by capturing clear footage. And if you add live video monitoring to your existing security solution, a security team can be alerted in real-time to take action before the damage escalates.

Many Uxbridge businesses, especially those with large properties like farms, warehouses, or construction sites, deal with trespassing because the businesses are not properly fenced and secured. Thinking that someone could be roaming your property without permission is alarming. Whether it’s kids looking for a place to hang out or someone with bad intentions, trespassers can cause damage, steal, or even put themselves in danger.

A strong deterrent is a combination of access control systems and surveillance cameras. Access control gates that require key cards or codes ensure that only authorized personnel can enter while motion-sensing cameras can monitor the property day and night. If someone tries to sneak onto the property, the camera picks it up, and alerts can be sent instantly to the security team or management.

If you find out that an employee of your company has been stealing from your business, it will feel like a punch in the gut. You trust your team, and it’s hard to accept when someone betrays that trust. Employee theft is common in Uxbridge, especially in retail stores and restaurants where access to cash and inventory is easy.

The financial impact can be devastating, but there are ways to protect your business without physically checking on your staff. Installing security cameras in key areas like stockrooms, cash registers, and storage spaces can provide clear oversight without intruding on privacy. Having an access control system for the storage rooms or high value items ensures that only authorized staff can enter the area so you keep unwanted visitors out of it.

Safety is a huge concern for Uxbridge businesses where employees often work alone, like agricultural operations, late-night retail shops, or security guards. If someone is injured while working alone, it can take too long for help to arrive. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) studies show that businesses with lone workers have 25% higher fatality rates when safety protocols are insufficient.

The only possible solution to protect lone workers is through live video monitoring combined with AI analytics and fall detection cameras. With cameras set up to watch the areas where lone workers work, employers or security teams can monitor the situation remotely and take action if an incident occurs.

Fraud and scams are becoming more common, and Uxbridge businesses are not an exception to these threats. Small businesses can easily become victims of financial scams and fake invoices, which might lead to major losses. To prevent fraud, businesses should implement access control systems for the financial transactions and make sure that security cameras monitor any physical access to sensitive information, like filing cabinets or server rooms.

RATHER FAIL WITH HONOUR, THAN SUCCEED BY FRAUD – Sophocles

If you are looking for security systems to secure your Uxbridge business in Canada, look no further than Spotter Security. We have been in the security industry for over 20 years, helping businesses secure their premises with the help of reliable security cameras, access control systems, alarm systems, live video monitoring, and security system maintenance.

Spotter Security has experience securing businesses in various industries, including construction, retail, corporate, warehousing, shipping and logistics. We know how to secure any business of any industry. We take a problem-solving approach to security and focus on reliability instead of selling you a complex and expensive system.