Fact Sheet: G8 and G20 Summit Costs

Summit Costs, 1995-2004

John Kirton, with Janel Smith
August 12, 2004

2004 Sea Island, Georgia, U.S., June 8-10
2002 Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, June 26-27
2001 Genoa, Italy July 20-22
2000 Okinawa, Japan, July 21-23
1995 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, June 15-17

2004 Sea Island, Georgia, U.S., June 8-10

“Governor Perdue says the federal government’s picking up the sizeable tab for top-level security.” Sonny Dixon, WOTC TV, July 16, 2003.

2002 Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, June 26-27

Total Expenditure = estimated at CA$300 million, including a CA$300,000 party to showcase the city of Calgary during summit in hopes of attracting tourists and CA$1-2 million on G7 finance ministers summit in Halifax
Security Costs = CA$1.1 million on armoured vehicles

“The price tag for the Kananaskis summit has been estimated at about $300 million.” “Police Buying Armoured Vehicles: G8 Funding Pays the Bill,” Calgary Herald, April 24, 2002.

“Martin said the summit will cost between $1 million and $2 million to stage and the costs would be ‘largely picked up by the Canadian government.’” “Halifax to Host G7 Finance Ministers Meeting in June: Martin,” Canadian Press, April 19, 2002.

“A $300,000 Wild West hootenanny for 5,000 will be the City of Calgary’s contribution to the G8 summit, as city hall tries to lasso an economic spinoff from the two-day meeting of world leaders in late June.” “City Rustles up G8 Wingding, Mayor Hopes $300,000 Party Will Attract Tourists,” Calgary Herald, April 16, 2002

“But it will cost Canadian taxpayers at least $100 million to protect the eight men who are scheduled…Once the costs of feeding, accommodating, entertaining and providing working facilities for the delegations are taken into account, the bill could exceed $200 million.” “Summit Too Costly,” Toronto Star, December 28, 2001.

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2001 Genoa, Italy July 20-22

Total Expenditure = US$225 million
Infrastructure Improvement Costs = 250 billion lire (US$100 million)
Facility Costs = luxury liners at a cost of 6.5 billion lire (US$2.9 million) to accommodate all the G8 leaders except Berlusconi and Bush
Security Costs = including US$40 million for security
Property Damage = US$45 million

“About 250 billion lire (US$100 million) was spent on improving the city’s appearance and infrastructure for the summit and on organization and security.” Factbox: Costs of the G8 Summit in Genoa,” Reuters, July 20, 2001.

“Police initially arrested 280, many of them foreign, though many have now been freed. Damage has been estimated at $45 million.” “G8 Violence: Ministers under Fire,” CNN, July 26, 2001.

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2000 Okinawa, Japan, July 21-23

Total Expenditure = US$750 million; £500 million

“The G8 leaders’ summit was held at the luxury Busena Terrace Beach Resort, on a remote peninsula. The Japanese government spent US$750 million on the summit and two preparatory meetings of ministers, a sum that Jubilee 2000 estimates would have been enough to cancel the servicing of one year’s debt from Guyana, Rwanda, Laos, Zambia, Nicaragua, Benin, Cambodia and Haiti.” Sean Healy, “Okinawa: Thousands Protest Against G8 Summit,” Green Left Weekly, July 26, 2000.

“While previous G8 summits have been criticized in the press — most recently Okinawa, for example, for the expenditure of $750 million on facilities — the decibel level rose significantly after Genoa.” “Kananaskis Might Be The Time for a Makeover,” National Post, June 4, 2002.

“The G8 summit in Okinawa will undoubtedly be remembered for its astonishing £500 million cost.” Harry Barnes, The G8 Summit and World Poverty, August 1, 2000.

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1995 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, June 15-17

Total Expenditure = CA$25 million

“The last G8 held in Canada, at Halifax in 1995, cost only $25 million.” “Summit Cost Called Small Price to pay PM’s Pointman says G8 Benefits Are Tremendous,” Calgary Herald, April 27, 2002.

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—	This Information System is provided by the University of Toronto Libraries and the G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto.
	Please send comments to: g7@utoronto.ca This page was last updated August 15, 2024.