OTTAWA, May 26 (UPI) -- Security for the summits to be held in Ontario next month is expensive because of the number of heads of state involved, a Canadian official said Wednesday.
The Group of Eight and Group of 20 are holding back-to-back meetings. The government now puts the price tag for security at $890 million and says it could go up, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said the two summits are going to cost more than providing security for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver because the problem is different.
"Granted there were some heads of nations at the Olympics, but nowhere in the configuration or the numbers that are going to be here," Toews said. "I don't think you can say, 'Well, because it's seven days instead of 14 days, it should be half the price.' It simply doesn't work that way."
The smaller G8 meeting is being held in Huntsville, Ontario, while the G20 meeting will be in Toronto.
