Evidence of meeting #35 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was security.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

William Blair  Chief, Toronto Police Service
Joyce Reynolds  Executive Vice-President, Government Affairs, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Justin Taylor  Vice-President, Labour and Supply, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Ladies and gentlemen, I see a quorum, so we'll get started now.

This is the 35th meeting of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.

Our witness this morning is Chief William Blair of the Toronto Police Service. As Chief Blair comes to the table, I want to welcome him on behalf of the committee and personally. Until very recently, the chief was a constituent of Scarborough--Guildwood.

So welcome to Ottawa, Chief. You've been before quite a number of parliamentary committees. Probably at times you're a bit more popular than you wish to be.

There is some time for your opening statement, and then my colleagues will wish to ask you questions.

Chief Blair, welcome, and please give your opening statement, if you have one.

8:45 a.m.

Chief William Blair Chief, Toronto Police Service

Thank you.

I'll be very brief with my opening statement. As you all are aware, I'm the chief of the Toronto Police Service. The Toronto Police Service was part of the integrated security unit that provided security and policing for both the G-8 and the G-20.

I've come before you today to do my very best to answer your questions. I have some understanding of the questions that were put to my colleagues in the RCMP and the OPP. I've attempted to gather some of that information so I might assist you with some facts and figures this morning. If I'm unable to supply you with the numbers you require, I will certainly undertake to acquire them as quickly as possible and get them to you. We'll do our best to answer all of your questions with respect to the costs associated with providing security for this event.

I think you are all aware of some of the security challenges we faced. Certainly, some of the security issues we were confronted with in the city of Toronto during the G-20 received quite prominent national attention, and I will do my best to answer your questions.

Unfortunately, because of the rather late notice for attending this meeting, I was unable to arrange to have my chief financial officer and chief administrative officer join me here today, but I had them working well into the night last night, gathering some facts and figures, so I'll do my best to answer your questions.

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Thank you, Chief Blair.

For the first eight minutes, Madam Coady.

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Thank you very much.

We certainly appreciate your taking the time to be here with us this morning and the attention you've given to the details.

I'd like to ask a few opening questions this morning. When Mr. Elcock was here a couple of weeks ago, he indicated there was a detailed plan for the event, and he went on to say that once you have your plan, you know precisely what the costs will be because you've budgeted for them. Superintendent Charlebois of the Ontario Provincial Police indicated that they negotiated a budget ahead of time of approximately $84 million for the event.

Did the Toronto Police Service do the same?

8:45 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

What was the amount you negotiated, and could you please provide the budget assumptions, that is, the details about the money allocated?

8:45 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

Yes, I'll do my best.

The budget that was submitted and negotiated with Public Safety Canada and the summit management unit headed by Mr. Elcock had total budget expenditures of $124.8 million. Included within that amount, approximately 60% was for personnel costs related to both the Toronto Police Service and all of the other police services that came to Toronto to provide assistance, excluding the OPP and the RCMP.

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Just for clarification, would the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, for example, fall under that budget?

8:45 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

Yes, it did, and not just for the personnel costs, but for their accommodation and meals, and other related personnel costs also.

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Out of that 60% for personnel, you just indicated there were accommodation costs. Do you know what amount was for travel and accommodation, out of that 60%, approximately?

8:45 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

I'm going to have to give you an estimate. I don't have the precise number. I'll obtain the precise number, but I believe the cost of hotels in Toronto alone was in the neighbourhood of between $4 million and $5 million. I have a recollection of having seen that budget, but I don't know the precise cost.

8:45 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Okay. Thank you.

I'm sorry, I interrupted you, but you said that 60% went to personnel.

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

The 60% was for personnel, and the other 40% was for various equipment and infrastructure services. For example, there was a requirement to obtain radio communications for all of those different police services. Our existing infrastructure in Toronto was unable to accommodate the additional numbers; for example, we didn't have enough radios for them. There was also some infrastructure for those radios that had to be put in place to create compatibility for all of the different systems being brought to bear.

In addition, we had to acquire certain facilities on a temporary basis and a prisoner processing centre, and there were other related costs. For example, there were leasing costs and retrofitting costs for the premises acquired for that purpose.

There was other protective equipment, things like gas masks and other things very specific to the event, that was also obtained. Some of the equipment that we acquired—and I have some breakdown of it but not great detail, unfortunately—would be retained by the Toronto Police Service. By policy, with Public Safety Canada, that acquisition was based on 50% from my service and 50% from the federal government—if it were our intention to retain the equipment.

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Could you give us the budget assumptions over the next few days?

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Okay, great...and some of those breakdowns.

Do you have budget variances as well at this point? Or is it premature for that?

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

It is premature.

We've made some submissions to the government, and actually some of our bills have been paid. But there are others that are due at the end of December, and those are still being compiled.

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

But you do have your budget and you know where you are.

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

Yes, that's correct. We have the budget assumptions.

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

If we could have that, that would be great.

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

And please be assured that we will not exceed our budget.

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Great.

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

In my world, we don't get to do that.

8:50 a.m.

Liberal

Siobhan Coady Liberal St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL

Great.

Now, I want to ask you a question. When were you first informed that the government had decided to host the G-20 in Toronto?

8:50 a.m.

Chief, Toronto Police Service

Chief William Blair

We began hearing indications, mostly through some public media, that the G-20 was being contemplated. It was approximately November of 2009.