A New Approach to Security Through Compassion
Compassion to Action™ training reimagines how security teams engage with vulnerable people
Every day, security professionals handle complex and high-pressure situations in public spaces, often under intense scrutiny.
They engage with people experiencing homelessness, substance use challenges and mental health concerns—challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid crisis and housing instability.
By 2024, QuadReal Property Group, like property managers across Canada, was seeing an increase in aggressive encounters across its properties, prompting leadership to question whether the traditional approach to security was creating safer environments.
“These conditions created safety concerns for our employees, for our contract security teams and for members of the community,” says Shane Belbin Director of Security & Life Safety at QuadReal. “The traditional approach wasn’t achieving the outcomes we wanted.”
Dan Sarrasin, Manager of Security & Life Safety at Commerce Place in downtown Edmonton, saw these concerns unfolding on the ground.
“Security teams were often operating from a physiological response, reacting quickly to remove someone from the property,” he says. “Arrests and confrontations were increasing, creating greater risk for everyone involved.”
QuadReal’s leadership realized that an enforcement-only approach wasn’t improving safety—and it didn’t reflect the organization’s values.
A New Approach to Urban Security
Shane first heard about Imagine Institute for Learning through a colleague who had recommended the Compassion to Action™ training.
“I got in touch with Line Perron, and she took the time to understand our operational realities,” he says. “She asked thoughtful questions about the environments our teams were working in and the responsibilities they carried every day.”
Compassion to Action™ is an evidence-informed training program designed for security professionals and other frontline staff working in public spaces.
Grounded in neuroscience and trauma-informed practice, the training helps participants understand how stress, adversity and trauma influence behaviour—and how those responses influence communication, decision-making and conflict.
“After speaking with Line, I felt confident that Imagine’s approach was innovative and practical,” Shane says.
Launching a Pilot at Commerce Place in Downtown Edmonton
The company launched a pilot program at Commerce Place in downtown Edmonton.
Shane, Dan and other senior leaders attended the training alongside the property manager and security personnel.
“We wanted our teams to see that leadership believed in the training and was committed to learning alongside them,” says Shane.
The one-day session included real-world scenarios security professionals encounter daily.
“Line and her team created an engaging environment where people felt comfortable sharing and participating,” Shane says.
Dan agrees.
“Our security teams want to do meaningful work,” he says. “This training helped them understand how they could better support vulnerable individuals while still maintaining safety.”
Delivering Trauma-Informed Training from Coast to Coast to Coast
The work gradually expanded beyond Alberta. Invitations to collaborate increased as trauma-informed practice gained recognition across sectors. training in the field.
“When trauma-informed care started becoming part of the conversation, there really wasn’t anyone providing it in community spaces,” she says.
In 2019, the organization rebranded as Imagine Institute for Learning. The name was chosen deliberately. “Institute” signaled depth and professional learning. “Imagine” honoured Line’s French-Canadian heritage and a philosophy rooted in possibility: imagining systems, workplaces and relationships differently.
How Empathy Adds to the Security Toolbox
Adam Kube is Area Manager with GuardTeck Security in Edmonton. At first, he didn’t see how empathy fit into security.
“I was optimistic, but hesitant,” Adam says. “I worked security downtown when I was 18 and served as a police officer. Traditionally, security work was very direct: enforce the rules and move people along.”
But Adam soon saw that the training didn’t replace enforcement. It added to the tools that security professionals use every day.
“Compassion to Action™ gives us more options,” he says. “It helps us understand how to manage situations without immediately escalating them.”
One activity that left a deep impression on Adam was the “t-shirt exercise.” During this activity, participants reflected on how their life experiences shape the way they interpret and respond to the world around them.
“That experience really shifted my perspective,” Adam says. “It helped me recognize how much someone’s past experiences can influence how they react in a stressful situation. Once you start thinking about it that way, it changes how you approach conversations.”
Compassion Builds Safety and Connection
After the pilot at Commerce Place, QuadReal monitored the results for several months.
“Employees told us the training gave them practical tools they could use immediately,” Shane says. “It helped them perform their roles more safely and confidently.”
Adam’s teams noticed the difference as well.
“My officers aren’t getting into as many altercations,” he says. “They’re not getting injured as often, and they’re able to serve the community in a more meaningful way.”
Alongside improved safety, the impact of the training is showing up in moments both large and small.
Security staff at Commerce Place told Shane about an unhoused person seeking shelter whose wheelchair had been stolen, leaving them unable to move safely through the city. His team stepped in and arranged a replacement wheelchair.
“To me, that’s truly compassion in action,” Shane says. “Recognizing a fellow human being in a difficult situation and choosing to help.”
After the training, security personnel would check on individuals sheltering in a stairwell during extreme winter weather, share community resources or offer a hot cup of coffee.
These moments help security teams build trust and strengthen relationships within the community, building rapport that can prevent situations from escalating
Scaling the Approach Across Canada
Encouraged by the pilot’s success, QuadReal expanded the program to its properties nationally. They held two-day train-the-trainer sessions in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, equipping participants to deliver Compassion to Action™ training internally.
By early 2026, QuadReal had 35 facilitators—including Shane and Dan—delivering the program across Canada.
GuardTeck has also embraced the approach.
“We’ve taken Compassion to Action™ to heart,” Adam says. “Every officer is now trained in the program before going on site.”
Officers now carry information about shelters, food programs and local support services to share with vulnerable people.
A New Security Model for Safer Spaces
The Compassion to Action training reflects QuadReal’s commitment to safety.
“Security has always been our top priority,” Shane says. “What’s changed is how we deliver that security.”
Officers can still use enforcement tools when needed, but it is not the default response.
“Our teams are more patient and intentional in their interactions,” Shane explains. “They take time to understand what someone might be going through before deciding how to respond.”
Dan sees the impact every day.
“Our security teams recognize the importance of approaching situations without judgment,” he says. “They’re not just protecting buildings, they’re supporting people.”
QuadReal plans to extend Compassion to Action™ training beyond security teams to other frontline staff who interact with the public.
“We have to keep evolving,” Shane says. “Innovation means being open to new ideas and new approaches.”
