Thousands of police are mobilizing to place a ring of steel around two back-to-back summits of world leaders next week, leaving Canadians reeling at having to foot the billion-dollar bill.
Fighter jets will patrol the skies above the picturesque town of Huntsville, whose 18,000 residents are proudly preparing to host leaders from the Group of Eight leading economies on Friday and Saturday.
The G8 leaders will then move from the lakeside shores of Huntsville to the chic downtown of Toronto for a Group of 20 summit on Saturday and Sunday.
A total of 20,000 security personnel are being deployed, a police spokesman said.
As well as jet patrols, sharp-shooting military snipers who served in Afghanistan will reportedly be posted on rooftops close to Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where the G20 summit is to be held.
No-fly zones are to be enforced and the summit sites will be surrounded by double security rings. Cell phone signals may be also be jammed as a security precaution.
"All pre-planning for the summits is complete and we are now mobilizing forces from all across Canada," Sergeant Leo Monbourquette, a spokesman of the Integrated Security Unit (ISU), told AFP.
The ISU led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be in charge of the overall security.
"We are trying to keep each security perimeter as small as possible so as to limit disruptions," Monbourquette said.
But amid fears that protests could turn violent as in the past, the United States has urged citizens to avoid travel in downtown Toronto.
"Protestors are expected to gather in Toronto in the days leading up to the summit and access to parts of the downtown area will be restricted due to security requirements," the State Department said in a travel alert.
Thousands of unionized workers are expected to march in Toronto on June 26 at the start of the two-day G20 summit.
But Canadian labor leaders and civil rights groups have complained about what they call the over-the-top security.
"We want a peaceful protest," Sid Ryan of the Ontario Federation of Labor told reporters, saying organizers were "extremely disappointed" by the restrictions imposed on them.
"We've got this armed fortress in our city the likes of which I've never seen," he complained, pointing to a cement block and chain-link fence around the conference site.
Canadians have also been loudly protesting the cost of hosting the summits.
The latest figure shows 160 million dollars for hospitality, infrastructure, food safety and extra staffing in addition to an already estimated 933-million dollar security bill.
"It's a waste of tax-payers' money," protested Peter Ostertag, a mechanic who lives in the Muskoka region, the home of Huntsville.
"It could have been spent fixing our roads, sidewalks, street lights and a host of other good things."
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has meanwhile filed an injunction against police use of new sonic cannons that "have the potential to cause permanent physical damage."
The long-range acoustic devices are designed to communicate as well as disperse crowds by emitting "painfully loud noises."
Some Toronto residents are aiming to avoid the chaos, by either working from home, or taking vacation next week with the summits coinciding with the start of school holidays.
Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies baseball games scheduled for June 25, 26 and 27 in Toronto have already been moved to Philadelphia.
Salik Raja, who manages a 24-hour convenience store close in downtown Toronto, is worried traffic restrictions will hurt his business.
"We will not receive any delivery of supplies for one full week," Raja said, worried about a drop in sales.
Opposition parties have castigated the government for its lavish spending on meetings due to focus on the need for fiscal restraint.
But a senior government official said the problem was having to host two summits at the same time, with Huntsville, proving to be too small to accommodate the G20 delegates.
Huntsville resident Susan Francis offered a rare positive view, saying: "We may have a little bit inconvenience for one week for the summit, but I think it's great for the tourism of the town."
"The name of our town will be heard all over the world," added restaurant-owner Loris Buttus. "Definitely there will be some disruptions during the summit, but it is good for the future of our town."
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
