Ontario Skip Tracing Course

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The Ontario Skip Tracing Course is a comprehensive 11 to 12-week (Synchronous Learning Online) professional training program designed to equip investigators, paralegals, lawyers, landlords, debt recovery agents, and other professionals with the knowledge and practical skills needed to lawfully and effectively locate individuals in Ontario. 

Grounded in the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and Canadian privacy legislation, this course blends theory with applied case studies, teaching students how to access and analyze public records, use open-source intelligence (OSINT), apply investigative techniques, and prepare professional reports that meet Ontario’s legal and ethical standards. 

By the end of the program, participants will have the confidence and competence to conduct skip tracing responsibly, ethically, and with maximum effectiveness across diverse professional contexts.

This course is appropriate for investigators, lawyers, paralegals, landlords, property management and other professionals who have the desire to locate wayward individuals lawfully.

Week 1 – Introduction to Skip Tracing in Ontario

• Definition, scope, and importance of skip tracing
• Applications in Ontario: private investigation, landlord–tenant, debt recovery, insurance, legal services
• Overview of the Ontario investigative services ecosystem
• Ethical principles and course expectations

Week 2 – Ontario Legal & Regulatory Framework

• Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA)
• Licensing and restrictions for private investigators in Ontario
• PIPEDA and Ontario privacy legislation
• Limits of lawful access: prohibited practices, trespass, harassment, impersonation
• Pretexting in Canada: what is lawful, what is not 

Week 3 – Information Sources: Public Records (Ontario Focus)

• Ontario Land Registry & Teranet system
• MPAC (property ownership and assessment)
• PPSA  (personal property & securities)
• Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (Bankruptcies and Consumer Proposals)
• Ontario Business Registry & Corporations Canada searches
• Ontario court systems: Small Claims, Superior Court, POA, Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB)
• Using Freedom of Information (FOI) requests

Week 4 – Information Sources: Private & Commercial Databases

• Subscription databases used in Canada (e.g., credit traces, skip trace services and others)
• Financial records (where lawful)
• Cross-border tracing (U.S. and international access issues)

Week 5 – OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) for Skip Tracing

• Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)
• Online forums, classified ads, and digital footprints
• Reverse image and metadata searches
• Ethical and legal boundaries of OSINT in Ontario

Week 6 – Investigative Techniques

• Digital forensics basics for skip tracers
• Reverse lookups: phone, email, IP address
• Advanced online search operators and strategies
• Spotting red flags for fraud, identity shielding, or deliberate evasion

Week 7 – Applied Case Work: Debt Recovery & Judgment Enforcement

• Tracing debtors post-judgment in Ontario
• Integrating skip tracing with Small Claims Court procedures
• Enforcement tools: garnishment, writs of seizure and sale, sheriff’s enforcement
• Case study: locating a debtor for a garnishment or examination hearing

Week 8 – Applied Case Work: Landlord–Tenant Tracing

• Tracing tenants who abandon rental units or owe arrears
• Using LTB filings and orders as a resource
• Working with property managers and paralegals
• Case study: locating a tenant who skipped out

Week 9 – Applied Case Work: Witnesses, Insurance & Fraud

• Skip tracing for locating witnesses in litigation
• Insurance investigations: staged accidents, fraudulent claims
• Tracing beneficiaries or heirs in estates
• Case study: insurance fraud investigation in Ontario

Week 10 – Professional Reporting & Ethics

• Preparing clear and lawful skip trace reports
• Evidence standards in Ontario courts and tribunals
• Confidentiality, defamation, and reputational risks
• Professional conduct and best practices

Week 11 – Integration & Business Development

• Building skip tracing into a PI, paralegal, or investigative business
• Marketing services legally in Ontario
• Course review and professional development pathways

The Instructor:

The instructor of this course is Mr. Leon Presner. He is currently a licenced Private Investigator and owns and manages 10-8 Investigative Services, a registered Private Investigative Agency in the Province of Ontario. 

Mr. Presner is a retired Police Officer of 27 1/2 years with the Durham Regional Police Service. While in the Detective Constable role, his specialization was investigating computer-related crimes, frauds and sexual assaults.  He is also a part-time professor at Centennial College teaching the Law Clerk and Paralegal program. 

Next Online Course Starts: November 11, 2025

From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm weekly (on Tuesday's only) 

Synchronous Learning Online and Recorded                                                        

Cost of the Course:

The cost of our course is $750.00 + HST = $847.50

Duration:

From 11 to 12 weeks of instruction.