Oliver EvansNo one wants to pay handsomely for “irrefutable evidence” on an investigative case that turns out to be nothing more than blurry photos of the wrong car and a fake timeline.
The fallout of crappy evidence? In most cases, a messy court battle, a drained bank account, and a sense of betrayal—not by the initial target, but by the very person you hired to uncover the truth.
Experiences like this, where trust is misplaced and crucial investigations go horribly wrong, are what led all of us on the Waterview Vancouver Writing team to find the best private investigators in town.
How much does it cost to hire a private investigator in Vancouver?
It costs at least 75 CAD per hour to hire a private investigator in Vancouver.
This is just an estimate, and the actual cost depends on the investigator’s expertise, the case, complexity, and more.
1. New Data Risk Solutions & Investigations Inc
Contact Details: +1 604-260-1100
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 8 AM to 8 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 10 AM to 8 PM
We love how discreet New Data’s surveillance teams are. Before any fieldwork, they plan and carefully analyze the environment to understand their subject’s routines to avoid any risks.
We also like their thorough open-source & cyber investigations. Several people with cases of online harassment that were getting out of hand told us their cyber investigation team was able to track down the source of the problem in no time.
For businesses, they offer plenty of services. For example, with their fraud investigations, we like how they meticulously go through financial records and conduct interviews.
We appreciate their persistence and their ability to connect seemingly small pieces of information to build a clear picture of what happened. The video evidence they provide to their clients is also clear and irrefutable.
Other companies that have used them for things like internal investigations and intellectual property theft mentioned their professionalism and their understanding of corporate sensitivities.
As far as their undercover operations, we like how they get actively involved in the role they are playing to avoid arousing suspicion, from name changes to clothing styles.
That said, communication isn’t always as proactive as some would have liked. Several people had to reach out for updates rather than them being automatically provided.
Efficient, responsive, reliable
“Efficient, responsive, reliable. Responds to my questions within minutes even outside work hours. really does feel like they are on your side.”
–Jerry Fang, Google Reviews
Was amazing at helping us locate the information we needed
“Sean was amazing at helping us locate the information we needed and he did it so quickly – we had it within hours of us first contacting him. We were also impressed with Sean’s thoroughness as he took the time to provide us with advice that we didn’t even know we needed! He was professional and approachable. We would highly recommend him and the services he provides. Thank you, Sean!”
–Amy Williams, Google Reviews
2. Shadow Investigations
Address: 999 W Broadway #720
Contact Details: +1 604-657-4499
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 9 AM to 6 PM
Shadow Investigations has been around for a long time—since 1990! That kind of longevity gives many some confidence right off the bat.
One of the first things we liked was that they offered a free consultation. We love how they sit down with you and discuss your situation without making you feel pressured or having to pay anything upfront.
Although we didn’t do it, we like that they offer polygraph lie tests. Their polygraph examiners are experienced and conduct the tests professionally, asking pointed questions to get a better sense of someone’s honesty tendencies.
Others who needed to locate someone they had lost contact with valued Shadow Investigations’ skip tracing. They access various databases, public records, and social media accounts that the average person doesn’t. This allows them to track down individuals who might be hard to find.
Many also raved about their digital forensics. We like how these investigators have the ability to recover and examine data from even the most broken electronic devices.
The only thing we aren’t too crazy about is that they don’t offer much availability outside of office hours—after 6 PM, any questions or matters have to wait till the next day.
Their attention to detail and thorough documentation made all the difference
“Choosing Shadow Investigations for my child custody case was the best decision I’ve made. Their attention to detail and thorough documentation made all the difference in court. Taz was incredibly supportive throughout the whole process, keeping me updated every step of the way. If you’re in Coquitlam and need solid evidence, these are your people! 💯”
–Cheyenne Farmer, Google Reviews
Hired Shadow Investigations for a background check on a potential business partner
“I hired Shadow Investigations for a background check on a potential business partner, and they exceeded my expectations. Their report was incredibly detailed, covering everything I needed to know and more.”
–Aila Yin, Google Reviews
3. BBI Investigations
Contact Details: +1 778-513-3921
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 8 AM to 7 PM
- Saturday & Sunday – 9 AM to 6 PM
BBI Investigations caught our eye with their claimed 97% success rate.
We figure this is due to what we’ve heard about their 100% confidential agreements and the free consultation. They are able to build trust, reassure client safety, and give peace of mind that any sensitive data will remain a secret.
We appreciate that BBI Investigations is very professional, taking their clients’ concerns seriously right from the start, especially when handling psychological interventions.
We found their methods of working undercover to befriend someone and trying to guide them towards making specific decisions effective in delicate situations. We love that they foster different aliases and master skills like strong listening and being adaptable with their personality.
Others appreciated their TSCM BUG SWEEP (they check for hidden spy devices) when moving into an apartment. We like how they give peace of mind to people—no need to fear that your private conversations are being recorded.
The one thing we don’t like, though, is that if they run out of time on background checks for the day, they don’t always filter through all the addresses and phone numbers on their searches.
BBI investigations are really trustworthy
“BBI investigations are really trustworthy, they pick up my phone even during the night and always keeps me updated, great work and excellent communication. highly recommend Brandon for sure.”
–Veronica Silva, Google Reviews
Highly recommend BBI for your PI needs
“BBI Investigations helped put my mind at easy with the sweep they did on my rental unit for potential bugs or cameras! I highly recommend BBI for your PI needs ! Thanks again”
–Jenni Fauht, Google Reviews
4. Axiom Investigations Ltd.
Contact Details: +1 604-217-1084
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday & Saturday – 9 AM to 8 PM
- Friday – 9 AM to 7 PM
- Sunday – 10 AM to 6 PM
Website: https://www.axiominvestigations.com/
Axiom Investigations team’s background gives many the confidence they need to trust them with their situations. We love that they have people with backgrounds in criminology, social sciences, and even child counselling and advocacy.
Several people told us they are good with romance scams, which are sadly becoming more common. We like their resolve to uncover where the scammer is in the world by tracing VPNs, messages, and more.
Others appreciated how Axiom was able to trace the individuals involved and help them get their money back if given.
On the other hand, businesses told us their prevention strategies and ability to investigate unfair business practices were very effective.
We like that they show due diligence services for businesses and investigate and uncover corporate issues like theft and unfair practices.
But, because they seem to handle a lot of intricate cases, the timeline for getting results isn’t always as quick as many initially hoped.
However, they are very communicative about the progress and explain the reasons for any delays.
Suzanne went out of her way to obtain information
“I am very happy that I hired Axiom Investigations. Suzanne went out of her way to obtain information & evidence that made my case. She’s very good at her job & genuinely seems to care. I just wish I’d called sooner. I highly recommend Axiom & Suzanne to anyone requiring PI services.”
–Helena Luciano, Google Reviews
Goes the extra mile and does things other PI’s don’t do
“Our experience with Axiom has been excellent. We had an extremely difficult case, with a clever and very evasive target. Not your typical “is my partner cheating on me” type case.
We found Suzanne to be forthcoming, honest, and diligent. She goes the extra mile and does things other PI’s don’t do. She also doesn’t look like an ex-cop, which is what most other PI’s seem to be, thus she is less obvious and can more easily be just another “average person”. This is especially helpful when conducting surveillance. The information Axiom has gathered is expected to finally make this case, in our favor. Without it justice may not have been adequately served, and we’d have been on the short end of the stick.”
–Rowan B, Google Reviews
5. Recover Agency
Address: 825 Granville St Ste 404
Contact Details: +1 672-999-1728
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours
Website:https://recoveragency.com/
The ladies of Recover Agency—Anna J. James (licensed private investigator) and Sam Marx (investigative researcher)—impressed us with their compassionate and personal approach.
We love how they truly care about helping you find answers. Several people raved about how they really walk you through things every step of the investigation, background check, whatever you need.
We like their beyond-surface-level digital presence audits; within an hour, they can give you an entire overview of anyone’s online footprint. Landlords who used them to check out potential tenants loved this thoroughness.
Others appreciated their incredible support with missing persons cases. We love how these investigators act like lifelines. They proactively launch a search campaign and act as the calm, logical brains their clients need.
However, Anna James is currently unavailable to take on new cases until September due to being on an assignment.
Highly efficient, and truly compassionate
“Absolutely fantastic work, done with a professional and empathic attitude. I got the answers I was looking for to find closure. I’m so grateful to have found Anna and Sam, and their communication was prompt with regular updates. They’re experienced, highly efficient, and truly compassionate when dealing with sensitive personal matters.”
–Betsy Autran, Google Reviews
Easy to understand, and provided actionable information
“The Deep Background Check report I received was comprehensive, easy to understand, and provided actionable information. Anna and her team’s use of the most current tools and investigative techniques is obvious.”
–Matt Hanan, Google Reviews
