With Kananaskis set to lock down for the G7, officials map out security zone

With the 51st G7 leaders' summit this June in Kananaskis, just west of Calgary, officials are outlining the first details of what will be a massive security effort.

Leaders from the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy and Canada, as well as the European Union, will participate in the June 15-17 gathering.

Summit venues in Kananaskis, a popular wilderness destination, will be locked down from June 10 to 18. Entry will be restricted to authorized personnel, residents and businesses, while select trails, day-use areas and local businesses will be closed.

"The public is asked to try their best to stay away from these high security points. Specific details on access points and credentials will be shared closer to the event," reads a notice from the Integrated Safety and Security Group (ISSG).

The ISSG is co-ordinating security at the event, led by the RCMP and including the Calgary Police Service, the Alberta Sheriffs Branch, Alberta Conservation officers and the Canadian Armed Forces. 

Security checkpoints along Highway 40 will screen vehicles, and temporary airspace restrictions will be put in place, barring unauthorized aircraft, including drones.

Kananaskis hosted summit in 2002

Kananaskis also hosted the annual gathering in 2002, when it was known as the G8 summit. The name was changed after Russia was suspended and then withdrew following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

At that time, the summit brought what officials called an unprecedented security operation, with estimates of more than 5,000 soldiers, 1,500 RCMP officers and jet fighters patrolling a no-fly zone.

The summit came in the wake of violent protests at the 27th G8 summit in Genoa, Italy, the year prior, as well as high anxiety tied to the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001.

John Kirton, director of the G7 Research Group, noted this year's controlled access zone covers a large territory. But he said that was understandable given how threats have expanded over the past several years.

"Because it's such a remote location, it does, of course, reduce the security threats and the security costs on many other fronts," Kirton said.

Given the number of hiking trails in Kananaskis, Kirton said security forces will need more personnel on the ground to prevent unauthorized access, especially from those who might avoid trails and move through the woods.

Trump tariff threats

The summit is approaching amid a period marked by economic uncertainty. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump paused a plan to levy tariffs on Canada for at least 30 days after speaking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Canada's next prime minister will be charged with setting the focus for the G7. Trudeau's focus had been set around inclusive economic growth, climate change and managing rapidly developing technologies, including artificial intelligence. Trudeau announced his resignation last month, starting a race to replace him as both Liberal Party leader and prime minister in March.

Summit watchers like Kirton expect the economic discussion to be front-and-centre at this year's gathering.

"So many of the G7 leaders have trade-dependent economies that are under threat from many fronts," he said.

"[Trump] has already threatened to impose tariffs on the European Union. So it is a broadly shared concern. And trade means not only tariffs but, of course, supply chains in the highly integrated economies that all of the G7 countries have."