From drones to cocktails, G7 logistics taking shape with Kananaskis summit 3 weeks away
Much has changed since the region hosted the G8 in 2002
With the G7 summit now just three weeks away, Canada is entering the final stages of preparation for a massive domestic security and logistics operation.
World leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, are set to gather in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17 for talks on climate change, managing rapidly evolving technology and global trade, among other issues.
While the summit itself will be held in Kananaskis, thousands of delegates, journalists and security personnel will be spread out across Calgary and the surrounding region.
Here's what the landscape for this year's G7 summit looks like, with three weeks to go.
Kananaskis locked down
Summit venues in Kananaskis, a popular wilderness destination, will be locked down from June 10 to 18. The summit's main venue, at Kananaskis Village, is removed from the public by the mountainous terrain and will be protected by multiple layers of security forces.
A controlled access zone will be in effect from June 10 to 18, and trails, roads and public facilities in the area will be closed or restricted. All access to the zone will require accreditation.
Behind the scenes, officials are hard at work preparing the summit site, said John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto.
Leaders will meet around a single central table. The tendency for Canada has been to make it an iconic table out of Canadian wood, Kirton said.
Though the hotel will be full of officials, photographers, translators and security officials, the goal is to draw focus away from that, he added.
"The whole idea is to make it seem to the leaders, and produce the reality, of it's them alone sitting in the room," Kirton said.
A spokesperson for the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge declined to speak to specifics, but did say its bar would soon unveil a cocktail program tied to the summit, with one signature cocktail for each G7 nation.
Calgary airport issues notices
The Calgary International Airport, which is preparing to welcome G7 leaders when they arrive in mid-June, has also begun to outline its security measures.
From June 9 to June 20, the airport will implement restrictions tied to photography, video recording and social media.
"To ensure the safety and security of all participating agencies and attending delegates, the capture, recording and sharing of military aircraft, law enforcement personnel and their operations — via photography, videography or social media — will be strictly prohibited from June 9 to June 20," the airport wrote in a statement.
"This restriction also applies to all arriving and departing aircraft throughout the duration of the summit."
Temporary road closures will also affect Airport Trail Tunnel and McCall Way, with no stopping or parking allowed around the perimeter of the airfield. Members of the public are instead being directed to the Edward H. LaBorde viewing area to view the airfield.
The airport authority also reminded the public that drone activity is strictly prohibited around the airport in northeast Calgary and near the Springbank Airport, west of the city.
"Drones can seriously impact aviation and general public safety, especially during large-scale summer events," said Patrol Sgt. Dallas Grimm of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) in a release.
Violators can face fines of up to $3,000 or jail time.
Security, media and protest zones
Designated areas for demonstrations will be set up in Calgary and Banff.
Meanwhile, the Banff Centre will serve as the international media centre, hosting journalists from around the world.
Kirton said this year's summit presents challenges that weren't present in 2002, including cyberattacks and additional risk of wildfires.
"This time, the new thing they really have to deal with are drones, right?" he said.
"Another one is cybersecurity. You've got many more deliberate cyberattacks now than you did in 2002. And they're more complex and they can be both accidental or very much targeted."
Security officials recently told The Canadian Press they're taking steps to deal with new technological threats and drones.
"The cyberspace is more of a concern now than it may have been in 2018 [the last G7 in Canada]," said David Hall, Alberta RCMP superintendent and event security director for the G7 Integrated Safety and Security Group.
He noted the agency is aware of the "weaponization of drones" seen in international conflicts.
CPS Supt. Joe Brar, the G7 event security director, told The Canadian Press that local officers will be responsible for policing demonstrations within Calgary's city limits, while demonstrations in neighbouring communities will be managed by the RCMP.
Calgary police will also help the Mounties with site security at hotels and other venues where delegates are staying, and with motorcades and escorting delegates between Calgary and Kananaskis, Brar said.
Economic hopes and political uncertainty
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce says the summit is expected to generate around $190 million for the Calgary region and $240 million across the province.
Just days ago, G7 finance ministers and central bankers met in Banff to lay the groundwork for the summit. They emerged out of those meetings with a joint communique that committed to strong economic relationships amid uncertainty brought on by tariffs from the United States.
The summit's focus on climate change, emerging technology and global stability take on particular relevance in Alberta, said Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary chamber.
"Climate connects to the energy sector," she said.
"And of course, we want to make sure that we showcase the advancements that have been made within the sector itself, to decrease the emissions intensity and the carbon intensity per barrel of oil that's produced in the province, the low carbon nature of natural gas, and what it means to fuel the growth in AI."
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Still, much of the focus of the summit will surround the impacts of policies imposed by the U.S. administration.
"Who knows what the Trump administration will come with and how everybody's going to respond," Yedlin said.
"We have to remember that reacting doesn't really get us anywhere, we have to respond accordingly."
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With files from Catherine Morrison of The Canadian Press