The federal government is boosting funding for security around the FIFA World Cup by $145 million, including up to $45 million for Toronto.
Federal Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree announced the additional funding in Toronto Wednesday morning.
“This funding will support provinces and municipalities in their efforts to ensure people remain safe while enjoying the tournament, and ensure law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to deliver a safe and well managed event,” Anandasangaree said.
The total estimated cost of hosting six FIFA World Cup matches in Toronto is $380 million, according to the latest city budget.
The city is kicking in about $178.6 million, while the province has pledged $97 million and the federal government has previously pledged $104.3 million so far.
The money announced Wednesday is in addition to that previous commitment, and is specifically for security costs. The funding was included in the federal government’s spring financial update Tuesday.
Vancouver to put up 800 cops in hotel rooms
Vancouver will be getting the rest of the funding. Anandasangaree said that’s because some of the costs in Vancouver are higher. He pointed out Vancouver has one more game than Toronto, and is also hosting the FIFA Congress.
“The landscape is quite different,” Anandasangaree said.
He explained that in Vancouver, around 800 individual police officers will be coming in from out of their jurisdictions to assist in policing and will incur travel and accommodation costs.
“We wanted to make sure that the amounts are fair and reflects the actual needs of policing. Toronto is in many ways blessed because we have a number of police jurisdictions which are within a relatively short drive, so the additional cost involved in Vancouver are not the same here,” Anandasangaree said.
It wasn’t clear Wednesday how much of the federal funding for Toronto would flow straight to the city, or whether it would be directed through the province.
“The intention is for these funds to be coming into the municipalities,” Anandasangaree said. “We will engage with both the province and the municipality, but the intention is for the funds to come in to support certainly the Toronto Police Service on their security needs. It is very much part of the conversation that we’re going to have. I know that the minister as well as the mayor are very much aligned.”
