It’s an exciting time to be a Calgarian, as world leaders and a small army of delegates will touch down in Alberta over the coming days for the G7 summit in Kananaskis.
The annual Group of Seven (G7) summit brings together the leaders of seven of the world’s advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union.
Canada assumed the presidence of the group for 2025, thus is hosting this year’s gathering from June 15 to 17 in the Alberta rockies west of Calgary.
For weeks, various stakeholders such as police and the military have been preparing for the high-security gathering.
On Wednesday, Mayor Jyoti Gondek and city general manager Doug Morgan laid out some of the changes Calgarians will see, focusing on increased congestion in the downtown core, as well as the airport.
Gondek is asking Calgary residents for patience, while sharing her excitement for the days to come.
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“Just remember, these disruptions, while necessary, are also temporary. And they ensure the safety of everyone that’s involved.”
“Calgarians are well known for their patience and hospitality. We’re just asking for a little bit of both for the next coming days.”
Rolling blockages due to motorcades could also affect Calgary commuters on short notice during the summit.
“From our traffic management centre, our team will monitor the roads 24/7 with access to real-time data and camera feeds,” Morgan said.
“They can quickly respond to changing traffic conditions and keep things moving.”
The summit also presents an opportunity for individuals and groups to have their voices heard at several designated protest zones around the city.
“We’re going to be gathering on Sunday to send a loud and clear message to world leaders meeting at the G7 summit — water is not a commodity, and it’s not to be negotiated,” said activist Jesse Cardinal.
She’s the executive director of Keepers of the Water, a group that aims to amplify voices of Indigenous Canadians concerned about the use of one of the country’s most precious resources.
The group will be part of a peaceful gathering of several organizations on June 15th at one of the protest zones at the Calgary Municipal Complex.
“We’re Indigenous people and we’re gathering on traditional Indigenous territory,” Cardinal explained.
“We respect the zones that are blocked off where we’re not supposed to be for safety reasons.”
With such a large influx of law enforcement already noticeable to many Calgarians, some may wonder if the Calgary Police Service will be able to continue their normal line of work.
“It’s important to remember (policing) is a partnership between the Calgary Police Service, the Alberta RCMP, as well as Alberta Sheriffs,” Gondek said.
“The Calgary Police Service remains committed to serving Calgarians to meet their everyday needs just as they always have.”
Mount Royal University Justice Studies professor Doug King shares the mayor’s confidence.
“For people who might be thinking ‘this is a good opportunity to do some nefarious things…’ give it a shot and see what happens.
“There’s probably going to be more police officers visible.”
King stresses with a lengthy amount of time to prepare, and Calgary’s penchant for hosting large events year after year, this really is business as usual for officers.
“This is the stuff careers in the Calgary Police Service are made of,” King said.
“We shouldn’t expect any problems.”
As part of its presidency year, Canada hosted a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Charlevoix, Quebec, from March 12-14, and a G7 finance ministers and central bank bovernors’ meeting in Banff, Alberta, from May 20-22.
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