Organizers are pitching the G7 leaders’ summit next month as an opportunity to showcase the best of Banff to the world, with up to 700 members of international news outlets setting up in the town to cover the event in nearby Kananaskis, Alta.
World leaders gather June 15-17 in Kananaskis Village, and about 80 kilometres away the town of Banff will also be busy.
The town will host the international media centre at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, as well as a designated zone for demonstrators at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Two other protest zones will be set up in Calgary.
With less than three weeks until the event kicks off, Ugo Therien, director of general planning for the G7 summit with Global Affairs Canada, presented the plan for the town to Banff council on Monday.
“Not only is it the 50th year, not only is it the seventh G7 in Canada — it’s only the second time that we’re choosing the same location,” said Therien.
“We’re going to have the eyes of the world here at the Banff Centre.… It’s going to be a fantastic and unique opportunity for your town and your region to showcase the best of what you have.”
International media members will begin to arrive in Banff starting on June 13, said Therien, and he expects many will cover stories about the town itself.
The last time Kananaskis hosted the G7 leaders’ summit, the media centre was set up in Calgary. Organizers chose Banff as the location this year to create an experience that “mimics what the leaders will see,” based on lessons learned in 2002, he said.
Banff councillors asked Therien questions about impacts to locals, wildfire threats, plans for the protest zone and more.
Other than more shuttles, busier restaurants, more cameras around town and the recreation centre closing to accommodate the protest zone, Therien said he expects minimal disruption for Banffites.
No roads or shops will be closed, and the only area in town that requires accreditation will be some areas of the Banff Centre.
Additionally, as the weather warms up, Therien said there are teams working on wildfire-related plans — from monitoring wildfire threats to managing potential wildfires.
“There were multiple exercises that have been done previously in order to prepare for all the possible scenarios.… There’s also emergency measures committees that have been put in place in order to make sure that we provide a safe environment if these situations are happening,” he said.
Mayor Corrie DiManno also asked what will happen if the demonstration zone becomes unmanageable, or if people protest outside of the designated zone.
Therien assured Banff council that the RCMP and its Integrated Safety and Security Group (ISSG) have plans in place to ensure the safety and security of the town and its residents. He couldn’t say how many people are predicted to protest.
The Town of Banff’s director of emergency and protective services, Katherine Severson, said they have been involved in some of those conversations.
“I can assure you that as the town and other emergency services, including the Banff Fire Department, we do have contingencies for how we would integrate at more of that co-ordination level and then incident command level if required.”
