The likely multi-millions of dollars it will take to provide Calgary Police Service support for the G7 summit in June of 2025 is set to be covered by Public Safety Canada, rather than the City of Calgary.

CPS Superintendent Joe Brar provided the update on the cost coverage for the international meeting of world leaders next summer, during Calgary Police Commission on Nov. 27, in the second of five updates that CPS will be providing the public ahead of the summit.

Speaking to commissioners, Brar said that the RCMP has been designated as the primary agency responsible for safety and security of the G7 during their visit. CPS would continue to be the primary agency responsible for the safety of Calgary during that time.

That summit is expected to be attended by leaders including United States President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“Our goal is to minimize disruptions to the daily lives of Calgarians while successfully hosting the G7 Summit,” said Supt. Brar.

“For the next steps, we’re finalizing our staffing, equipment and resource needs, develop operational plans, staffing assignments, we will be requesting mutual aid from other law enforcement agencies and partners from across the country. This will result in MOUs being drafted, and we’ll be looking to backfill members that are assigned for the event security.”

Police Chief Mark Neufeld said that they could provide details to commissioners during future updates on planning for the summit, but there was little risk to Calgary taxpayers of having to cover unforeseen events.

“We’ve have had partnerships like this before, so I would say the risk in relation to how solid it is, is very low. I think that’s the reason for the pause of bringing a budget, because it’s not a budget that is likely to impact the city budget,” Neufeld said.

“It’s something that’s actually administered and separately from us, and the Commission… so it’s a bit of a different animal than the regular budget.”

Planning ongoing with other police agencies across the nation

As part of the planning for the G7, Supt. Brar said that CPS had been in contact with other police agencies across the country that have hosted similar events, such as COP15 in Montreal, and have looked back at lessons learnt from the 2002 G8 summit held in Kananaskis.

“We are in contact with the organizers for the COP15 event, the same people that we’ve been involved in the most recent demonstrations related to the NATO event. We have not followed up since last weekend’s events, but that is a part of the plan,” Brar said.

Mass pro-Palestine and anti-NATO protests in Montreal on Nov. 22, turned violent, with objects thrown at police, vehicles lit on fire, and windows smashed along with acts of antisemitic intimidation, according to reporting by the CBC.

Supt. Brar said that financial coverage from Public Safety Canada would cover the contingency costs for events like mass demonstrations, mass arrests, and any extraordinary expenses that CPS might incur during the G7.

“The planning team, based on what we’ve seen, based on intelligence, have together a budget that we believe that will cover all that,” he said.

Planning for demonstration zones was also underway with a view to balance both the desire of protesters to be seen and heard, while also minimizing disruptions to Calgary communities, Brar said.

“A big part of that response is proactive work… it’s an approach to try to understand why the individuals are demonstrating, and how can support them, and ensuring that whoever event is lawful, is still safe and minimizes community disruptions,” he said.

“But at the same time, we’re prepared to deal with violent riots and all things that come, so preparing for both extremes.”

As a result of the international nature of the G7, the service would have more access to intelligence about how to address potential protests, Brar said.

Impacts from the G7 would likely not impact a pair of events that will book end the summit—the International Rotary Convention at the end of June followed by the Calgary Stampede, Brar added.