The Globe and Mail

I’m on a boat

Boaters beware: The Integrated Security Unit has released marine restrictions for next week’s G8 and G20 summits.

In Toronto, the restrictions will affect boaters from June 24 through June 27. Boats will be restricted from entering eight “enhanced security zones” in the harbour, which have been placed around ferry terminals and an area of the portlands near the Eastern Gap. Boaters must keep at least 300 metres away from the ferry terminal at Mainland Ferry Docks, 30 metres away from City of Toronto ferry terminals, and 50 metres from the ferry servicing the Toronto Island airport. Boats must also keep 30 metres away from ferries as they make their way across the harbour.

Marine police agencies will monitor all maritime activities and closely watch vessels that seem to be operating in an unusual manner.

“Entering an enhanced security zone will result in an immediate Marine Security response and possible legal action under the Marine Transportation Security Act,” according to the ISU website.

In Huntsville, Ont., Peninsula Lake will be a restricted zone for marine craft beginning Sunday. In Toronto, National Yacht Club, near the foot of Bathurst Street, has advised its members that G20 patrols will be operating in the harbour and that boats might be targeted by random checks.

“The G20 is likely to affect access to the National Yacht Club both by road and on the water,” the club announced on its website.

Restaurants choke on G20

With the downtown core cleared out and world leaders hidden behind closed doors, city restaurants are bracing for a large drop in sales during the G20 summit.

“One chain member projects it’s going to cost them between $500,000 and $700,000,” said Garth Whyte, president of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

Mr. Whyte said the government is literally putting a barrier between restaurants and customers, and should compensate business owners for their loss. “If the government can spend close to $2-million on a fake lake, then it has the money to fully compensate restaurants for their loss of business.”

The CRFA is surveying its members about the impact of the summit, and encouraging restaurants to keep close record of their sales, so they can apply for ex-gratia payments after the international meeting is over.

Mr. Whyte estimates that as many as 7,000 restaurants could be affected, not to mention the street vendors who are also being forced to abandon their downtown locations.

“If you win the lottery and get to host a meal for the advisers and staff, you can do quite well, but what are the chances of that?” he said.

So far, there has been no official indication of where world leaders and their entourages will be dining. The leaders’ dinner on Saturday night is expected to be held at the Royal York, inside the security perimeter.

Don’t stash your cache

Geocachers planning to hunt for hidden boxes in Toronto during the G20 weekend are being warned to take their sleuthing outside of the city.

“It’s not recommended to go down to a high-security area and start snooping around looking for a hidden package,” Ontario Geocaching Association vice-president Gregory Pleau said.

Geocachers are high-tech treasure hunters who use Global Positioning System receivers or other navigational techniques to find hidden containers called caches. The containers are filled with log books to keep track of who finds the caches. Caches can be plastic containers or even ammo boxes, but are usually small items such as film canisters in city centres and high-traffic areas, Mr. Pleau said.

It’s not the first time geocachers have been told to take their game somewhere else. The Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit asked geocachers to use “common sense” when geocaching and stay away from restricted areas at the Olympics earlier this year.

Mr. Pleau also advises geocachers who own caches in and around the security perimeter to remove them until the summit is over. About five of Toronto's 542 caches exist within the security perimeter, he said.

“We just don’t want to see the mother of all bomb scares,” Mr. Pleau said.

Health cards not considered official ID

Anyone attempting to enter the security perimeter around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the intimidating fence that wraps along Wellington Street and down to Lakeshore Boulevard, will be required to show two pieces of identification.

But Wendy Drummond, of the Integrated Security Unit, said health cards will not be accepted. “They are not considered to be valid ID,” she said. Anyone attempting to enter the zone, even with their summit-issued pass, will have to provide a driver’s licence or passport.

Private security company gets licensed

Although they were hired by government tender in March, the company providing private security for the G20 summit received its licence to operate in Ontario just this week.

The Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services was scrambling to license Contemporary Security Canada before next week’s meeting, when the company will be providing 1,030 guards to provide screening at security checkpoints.

“Following a detailed assessment of CSC’s application by the Ontario Private Security Investigation Services Branch, the company has its licence in place,” said Todd Severson, project director for the ministry.

“CSC continues its preparations to ensure it is ready to commence operations and provide security screening services for the G8/G20 Summits,” he said.

With a report from Cigdum Iltan