As of next week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) will begin to deploy a security perimeter around the Palais des Congrès where COP15 will be held from December 7 to 19. next. The event will require an exceptional police deployment downtown, the largest in 20 years in Montreal.
Five weeks before the event, the Integrated Security Group (GIS), which brings together the RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and the SPVM, is busy preparing for the 15e edition of the United Nations conference on biodiversity which should welcome between 10,000 and 15,000 dignitaries. For now, however, the GIS cannot confirm whether heads of state will be present.
During a meeting with journalists on Wednesday, representatives of the three police forces described the security measures that will be put in place. “It is a huge planning. It’s complex,” said Corporal Tasha Adams, RCMP public relations officer.
Disturbed traffic
Starting next week, a high fence will be gradually erected around the Palais des Congrès, which could disrupt traffic and require the partial or complete closure of streets for about 20 days. The installation of this fence should be completed on November 27th.
Once this fence is in place, one traffic lane will be removed on Avenue Viger Ouest and on Rue Saint-Antoine Ouest and Rue Saint-Urbain. Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle will also be cordoned off. The street of the same name will be closed northbound and one lane will be cut southbound.
The Palais des congrès parking lot, which is located north of Viger Avenue West, will also be fenced off and Côté, Chenneville and de la Gauchetière streets will be closed to automobile traffic.
The Place-d’Armes metro station will be closed from 1er December 20 and trains will not stop there for the duration of COP15. The underground accesses to the Palais des Congrès will also be condemned.
Security inside the Palais des Congrès will be provided by the United Nations Security Department. For its part, the RCMP will coordinate security measures and the escort of convoys of dignitaries from Montréal-Trudeau airport. The GRC does not foresee any road closures for these convoys and ensures that the obstacles will be limited.
The SPVM will be responsible for security outside the perimeter, maintaining order and crowd management. For its part, the SQ will take care of the fluidity of traffic on the higher road network, in addition to lending a hand to the RCMP for convoys.
The SQ also confirmed on Wednesday that there was no question of closing the Ville-Marie highway, as mentioned last week by the leader of the opposition at city hall.
The police force will be important. However, the SPVM did not want to specify the number of police officers who will be required for the event. A call has been launched within the troops to recruit volunteers – paid overtime – but the SPVM is confident of having sufficient staff.
The police are expecting demonstrations. “But we’re talking more about crowd management,” said Corporal Adams. “The SPVM is used to hosting events with crowd movements.” To supervise these demonstrations, the SPVM will be able to benefit from the assistance of the SQ and the police services of Québec, Longueuil, Laval and Gatineau.
The SPVM anticipates expenditures of at least $25 million, an amount that could largely be reimbursed by the federal government.
The SPVM recognizes that the GIS has little time to plan the security measures for COP15. Usually, the preparations for this type of international event require between 12 and 18 months of work. Additional measures could be put in place in the coming weeks, said Corporal Tasha Adams.