G8 and G20 security to cost taxpayers at least $833-million

Security for next month’s G8 and G20 summits will cost taxpayers at least $833-million.

The RCMP — which is leading the massive security effort — will receive an additional $321-million, while the public safety department gets $262-million.

Money will also go to the defence department, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the National Air Transportation Security Authority and a clutch of other agencies.

The money will be used for planning, accommodation, information technology, and working with security partners to protect leaders and their delegations.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is defending the security costs for next month’s G-8 and G-20 summits in Ontario.

Toews says it’s unprecedented to have two very large summits back to back — and the government put them close together to save money.

He tells CBC News there will be a “massive” amount of high-ranking officials and others at the summits — with the number of media alone at between 25-hundred and four-thousand.

Toews also says comparisons with Vancouver Olympic security costs of just under one (b) billion dollars are unfair.

He says the Winter Games had nowhere near the same number of high-profile officials who require protection.

Toews also says face-to-face meetings of the G-8 and G-20 leaders are very important because they deal with issues that simply can’t be handled over the phone or by video-conference.

The minister also insists there is no cost-overrun — because the government has always stated overall costs will be finalized after the completion of the summits.

G8 leaders gather in Huntsville, late next month, then join other world leaders for the G20 summit in Toronto.