B.C.'s share of estimated $1B Olympic security bill still unclear

One year before the start of the 2010 Olympic Games, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says he still doesn't know how much the province will pay for its share of security costs.

"I can't tell you because that's actually what they're finalizing right now," said Campbell on Thursday morning in Whistler.

On Wednesday, federal Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan told the Globe and Mail that speculation the total cost of providing Olympic security would be around $1 billion "wouldn't be wildly off base."

Van Loan also said the original estimate of $175 million was never endorsed by the federal government.

According to the publicly released terms of the federal-provincial agreement, the province will share half the cost of providing security at all Olympic venues and for all the athletes, while the federal government will cover all other security costs including airport, VIP and border security.

Earlier this week, B.C. Finance Minister Colin Hansen said he's not sure when Ottawa will release the final costs, because the details of the agreement are still being negotiated.

"We'll have a share that's according to the agreement that's out there that everyone has seen where we share local costs. They do all the other costs," said Campbell.