VICTORIA, British Columbia — Security for the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia is expected to cost $715 million — more than five times the original estimate.
The Canadian government had previously acknowledged that costs were likely to increase from the original number, but no budget was released while Federal and provincial officials negotiated how to split the costs.
British Columbia will pay $200 million while Canada pays for the rest — including any unforeseen expenses.
“Our objective is to deliver a safe and secure Games, so that what people remember is the excitement of the competition and the celebration — and not any questions of security,” said Peter Van Loan, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety.
Thursday’s announcement came as most Canadians were distracted by president Barack Obama’s visit to the country.
“They released it today because they’re hoping it won’t become a story, it will die a quick death and somehow people will forget,” said Parliament member Peter Julian, a critic of the games for the opposition who represents nearby Burnaby. “These figures are still approximate, they are still a guess but what they do show is that there are significant cost overruns.”
Security is being coordinated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. U.S. forces will be involved through NORAD — the joint Canadian and American defense agency.
Vancouver organizing committee CEO John Furlong said the estimates were made in 2002 dollars and told a hastily organized news conference he was glad the figures were now in the public domain
“It’s a bit unreasonable to ask a bid committee a question as complicated as that almost a decade before the Games,” he said.
The committee, which has no responsibility for the security budget, announced Thursday that all venue work is finished.
“We’re well set up to deliver what we’ve committed to,” Furlong said.
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