Military vehicles and aircraft en route to Kananaskis, info centre opens ahead of G7

The 2025 G7 leaders' summit is coming to Kananaskis in June but activity has already begun in preparation for the international event.

Officials have now opened a G7 community information centre at the Stoney Nakoda Resort & Casino, located at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 40, about 75 kilometres west of Calgary.

The centre is open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, until June 9. It's there to answer questions or address concerns area residents may have about the summit, which will see a large police and military presence as well as travel restrictions in a controlled access zone where world leaders will be attendance.

Employees with Global Affairs Canada's Summits Management Office will also be at the centre to address questions or concerns related to accreditation for people supporting or participating in the G7 event.

Accreditation will be required to enter and exit the controlled access zone from June 10 to 18.

The RCMP are leading an integrated group of police and military personnel that will be responsible for security at the summit.

They said Wednesday that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) plan to move "a substantial number of military vehicles" from Edmonton to Calgary, May 15 to 30, for the event.

"The CAF is enhancing and complementing the safety and security efforts by providing planning support, air mobility support, rural terrain surveillance, chemical biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive response, as well as aerospace defence," the RCMP said in a release.

"Before and during the G7, the public may see members of the military working alongside members of the RCMP conducting operations at various locations in the area."

The RCMP have also said the public can expect to see Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft flying in and around Kananaskis, "sometimes at lower altitudes and in formations of multiple aircraft, as aircrews practice procedures and familiarize themselves with operating in the region."

The aircraft include CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, CH-147F Chinook helicopters and CH-146 Griffon helicopters.

The leaders' summit in Kananaskis is set for June 15 to 17.

G7 finance ministers meeting in Banff

Finance ministers and central bank governors from the G7 countries are set to convene in Banff from May 20 to 22.

"This will be an opportunity to discuss issues impacting global economic stability and growth ahead of the 2025 G7 leaders' summit," the event billing explains.

The gathering will be much smaller and involve far fewer security restrictions than the main summit, said Fraser Logan, a spokesperson for the integrated security group led by the RCMP.

Some security personnel will be involved, Logan said, but their presence will be less conspicuous than what the general public will see around the main leaders' summit in June, which is expected to involve thousands of international delegates and journalists, along with world leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump.

Jason Darrah, communications manager with the Town of Banff, said there is no expected impact on visitors or residents due to the finance ministers' meeting in May.

"There are no planned road disruptions, detours or any other restrictions," he said in an email.

"There will be more impact with events such as the first Banff Farmers Market of the year on May 21."