What to expect during the G20 — June 26 & 27, 2010
Security for the G20 Summit is being managed by the Integrated Security Unit (ISU), a joint security team led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in partnership with the Toronto Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Canadian Forces and Peel Regional Police.
All security planning is done to ensure the safety and security of Internationally Protected Persons, Summit staff and dignitaries, and the people who live in, work in, and visit Toronto.
Every effort is being made to ensure these security measures have the least possible impact on the day-to-day lives of Torontonians.
Members of the public will notice a significant number of police officers patrolling the downtown area in the days leading up to the Summit. These officers may represent police services from across the country. All of them have come to Toronto to ensure a safe and peaceful Summit.
The following information is provided to help you understand the impact of security planning and to assist you with navigating downtown Toronto during the Summit.
Security Zones
There will be a zone immediately around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in which vehicle and pedestrian traffic is strictly controlled. As with most international summits, security fencing will be used to secure this area and only those with RCMP accreditation will be allowed inside.
There are two other zones outlined on the map. The yellow line represents the Toronto Police Service Security Perimeter. The fence for this zone will be erected in the weeks leading up to the Summit. The Toronto Police Service hopes that members of the public will be able to move freely throughout the fenced perimeter until the evening of Friday, June 25. However, the Toronto Police Service will have the ability to control access to this area in the days leading up to June 25 if security reasons dictate such control.
Torontonians who live and work within this area have been offered a Registration Card in order to facilitate quick passage through the security checkpoints that will be part of the security perimeter.
Members of the public who have not received a Registration Card or who do not live or work in the area but require access into the security perimeter will have to present a piece of photo identification and clearly articulate a specific purpose and destination to be allowed through. This process may take some time and those seeking access into the security perimeter are asked to exercise patience when doing so.
Traffic
To keep traffic flowing as efficiently as possible, a traffic management strategy has been created to guide vehicles away from the security zones.
Routes in and out of the downtown area – including the 400-series Highways, the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard – will not be closed. However, there will be restrictions on Highway 427 and the Gardiner Expressway to accommodate motorcade travel. On Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27 these restrictions will be ongoing throughout the day and significant traffic disruption is anticipated. Please listen to local media for up-to-the-minute road closure information.
In addition, the York/Bay/Yonge Streets exit on the eastbound Gardiner Expressway will be closed on Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26. The York Street ramp onto the westbound Gardiner Expressway will be closed on Sunday, June 27.
Roadways within the area of King Street, Yonge Street, Queens Quay and Spadina Avenue will experience closures or restrictions. Police officers will be located at many points around this area and will be working to redirect vehicles to alternate routes. This general traffic perimeter is represented on the map provided (blue line).
Anyone living, working or having a specific purpose and destination within this perimeter will be given access. Other road closures may occur to accommodate marches or protest activity. These will be communicated as soon as possible.
Toronto Islands Ferry passenger service will be operating, however, expect traffic disruptions in the area.
All traffic management details are subject to change. Members of the public can expect significant traffic disruptions in the downtown area and are encouraged to take public transit and listen to local media for the latest information.
Toronto Transit Commission
The TTC is operating regular service during the G20 Summit. There are no planned service restrictions to the subway and only a few surface routes will be diverted from the evening of Friday, June 25 to Sunday, June 27, unless security dictates otherwise.
The 6 Bay and 72A Pape bus routes will be diverted during the entire summit. The 97B Yonge bus and 503 streetcar route will be diverted on June 25 only, as those two routes do not operate on weekends. As well, both the 509 and 510 streetcars will not be stopping at Queens Quay station.
Any changes to TTC services will be communicated as soon as possible and customers are encouraged to register for TTC E-Alerts, visit www.ttc.ca, and listen to local media for up-to-date information in the event of unplanned disruptions.
GO Transit
GO Transit will be operating regular services during the G20 Summit.
Any changes that may be imple-mented to GO Transit services will be communicated as soon as possible and regular users of the system are encouraged to listen to local media and visit www.gotransit.com for the most up-to-date information.
VIA Rail Canada
VIA Rail Canada will operate its regular train schedule on Saturday, June 26 to Sunday, June 27. VIA Rail customers planning to travel by train to or from Toronto during this period should be advised that both departing and arriving trains may be delayed and to plan their travel accordingly. As more information becomes available, VIA will post updates on www.viarail.ca. Customers are encouraged to visit this website before their travel dates for the latest information.
Union Station
Union Station will be open during the G20 Summit. However, from the evening of Friday, June 25 to Sunday, June 27, exits to Front and York Streets will not be in use. Travellers will have to exit using the east side of Union Station through the Bay Street exits. In addition, the Blue Route between Union Station and the Air Canada Centre will be open.
During this time, no vehicle traffic will be permitted on Front Street, west of Bay Street. A temporary “Kiss & Ride” and a temporary “Taxi Stand” will be located on Front Street, east of Bay Street. Motorists wishing to access these locations should approach northbound on Bay Street from Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Traffic disruptions will be significant in this area and members of the public are encouraged to use public transit or the pedestrian walkways (dotted green line on the map) to go into or leave Union Station.
In addition, should security reasons dictate a securing of the perimeter prior to Friday, June 25, the above changes to Union Station will also be in effect at that time. Members of the public are encouraged to listen to local media for up-to-date information.
PATH
The entire underground PATH system will be closed from the evening of Friday, June 25 to Sunday, June 27 and will reopen for its regular hours of operation on Monday, June 28.
If security reasons dictate a securing of the Toronto Police perimeter (yellow zone on map) prior to Friday, June 25, members of the public will not be able to exit the PATH system into the security perimeter, nor will they be able to enter the PATH system from the security perimeter once it has been secured.
Parking
From Friday, June 25 to Sunday, June 27 there will be heightened enforcement of parking in the downtown area, particularly for the area surrounded by Queen Street, Yonge Street, Lake Shore Boulevard and Spadina Avenue.
There will be extremely limited parking or no parking available on the majority of streets within this area. In addition, there will be no parking on streets that have been closed to accommodate parades and protests.
All parking regulations for No Parking, No Standing and No Stopping will be strictly enforced. Vehicles may be tagged and/or towed. Members of the public who find their vehicle has been towed may call 416-808-2222 for further information.
Protests
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees freedom of thought, belief, opinion, expression and peaceful assembly. The Integrated Security Unit values these rights and will work to uphold them while ensuring that public safety, peace and good order are maintained in Toronto.
The ISU believes most groups will want to express themselves in a peaceful and responsible manner.
However, the police are preparing for any eventuality. Any interaction police have with demonstrators will be measured, balanced and appropriate to the circumstances at hand.
Specific charges will be applicable to anyone breaching a security perimeter or committing criminal offences.
Queen’s Park North has been selected as the Designated Speech Area. As a Designated Speech Area, Queen’s Park North will be equipped with audio-visual equipment that will televise the activities at the Park to the delegates at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
It is our hope that people will take advantage of this area and express themselves in a peaceful, lawful way.
Community Outreach
For further information regarding the G20 Summit, please contact:
Integrated Security Unit – Community Relations Group
(security related questions)
www.g8-g20isu.ca
crg-grc@g8-g20isu.ca
1-888-446-4047
City of Toronto
call 311
Summits Management Office
(non-security related questions)
www.g20.gc.ca
g202010@international.gc.ca
**Note: All information included in the preceeding article was correct at press time.
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