Olympic security to cost $1-billion: federal government

[ambaUp]

2010 Olympic security budget: $900 million

VICTORIA (NEWS1130) - B.C. Finance Minister Colin Hansen says security for the 2010 Winter Olympics will cost $900 million, five times more than the original $175 million estimate. The federal and provincial governments released the budget today after more than year of negotiations.

The RCMP-led security team submitted their financial plan in November 2007. Their original estimate was included in the Olympic bid book but was later discounted as being far too low. Games security will involve more than 8,000 people from agencies including RCMP, military and local police.

The main argument between Ottawa and Victoria had been how much each jurisdiction will pay to protect and police the Games. Back in October, federal public safety minister Stockwell Day said the Olympic security budget would be between 400 million and a billion dollars.

[mr.x]

this is hardly a surprise.



It was quite clear that even back in 2002 that security would cost much more than the $175-million they had originally budgeted for.

It's an unfortunate expense, but at the same time a necessary one to ensure safety at the 2010 Games. Lives are at stake here, we need to be prepared and we certainly wouldn't want our city to have the same black mark as Munich.

[Stingray2004]

BC's portion of the security budget will still remain at $87.5 million.

But there's a caveat... BC will be responsible for $165 million in federal infrastructure transfer payments over the next three years [instead of Ottawa] and Ottawa will take the risk for the security budget not increasing any further.

So the $600 million Olympic Budget for BC taxpayers has increased to $765 million.

Ottawa will be on the hook for the remaining ~$560 million in security costs.

Seems like BC got a better deal here than many had previously thought would be the case.

[Locked In]

Counter-terror force to help with Olympics

March 2, 2009 3:02 PM

Troops from the Canadian army’s elite Joint Task Force 2 counter-terrorist unit will be assigned to help provide security at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, a senior military official said on Monday.

Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden’s statement came as something of a surprise. The military does not usually comment on the deployment of the JTF2, which is the most important part of its so-called Special Operations Forces.

Asked by Parliament’s defense committee whether JTF2 members would be at the Games, McFadden replied: "Special Operations Forces will be assigned to support the operation of the Vancouver Olympics."

Some of the troops will back the RCMP, who are responsible for overall security, while others will be placed on standby, he said, but declined to specify how many would be involved.

The Canadian government says it plans to spend about $900 million for security for the 2010 Games, including $212 million for the military. Police security planners say the threat level for the Games in February 2010 is considered low, but the budget and security plans assume a medium threat level.

In addition to the troops, protection for the Olympics will be provided by 7,000 police officers from around the country and 4,000 private security personnel.

Reuters
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Source: Vancouver Sun