Photo by CP
SENDING THE MESSAGE – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge look on as Second World War veteran Doug Bell sends a Morse code message at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History last Sept. 28. THE CANADIAN PRESS/JONATHAN HAYWARD
Dispatching telegraph message cost $4,250
The RCMP say they spent about $2 million on policing
VICTORIA – The RCMP say they spent about $2 million on policing costs during last year’s eight-day visit to British Columbia and the Yukon by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their two young children.
The total bill was released following a federal Access to Information request for RCMP costs during the visit that began Sept. 24, 2016.
But the total could still change if additional expenditures are added later this year, the documents say.
The Yukon’s Department of Tourism and Culture, meanwhile, reported costs of $11,754.76 for the time the Duke and Duchess spent in Whitehorse and Carcross.
The Yukon government is expected to release further costs related to other departments later.
The most costly item reported in the Yukon documents was related to an event at the MacBride Museum in Whitehorse.
There, former telegraph operator Doug Bell helped Prince William and Kate tweet a royal welcome message to the world using Second World War technology.
There was a bill of $4,250 to implement Morse code translation software.
Overall, the records show the largest expenses were connected to pay, overtime and travel costs, which totalled about $1.9 million.
RCMP pay and overtime were pegged at $1.37 million. But the amounts for regular pay and overtime pay are not separated. The documents also do not provide the number of RCMP officers assigned to the tour.
The documents also report almost $73,000 in pay and overtime for other police costs.
Municipal police departments in the Victoria and Vancouver areas were involved in the royal visit.
The RCMP’s travel bill was $532,097, the documents say.
Prince William and Kate visited several communities in B.C. and the Yukon.
One of the highlights came when they attended a garden party at Government House in Victoria with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The B.C. government is expected to release its final costs for the tour on Jan. 13. The federal government has yet to release its final tally.
Ottawa released a budget estimate of $855,600 last October for the tour.
The federal tour cost estimates from last October included a total hospitality estimate of $54,590 and a travel forecast of $305,350.
The Canadian Press
Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar
In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.
Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.
Comments (8)
Up 11 Down 10
Max Mack on Jan 9, 2017 at 4:01 pm
I appreciate the frustration of some posters with the overall cost and inconvenience of hosting the royals. Absolutely.
But, you have to admit, the telegraph signal was a cool thing to demo. Kudos to the developers.
As for price, this project was very reasonably priced.
Up 10 Down 10
ProScience Greenie on Jan 8, 2017 at 9:35 am
Of course it took tons of our tax dollars to make this royal visit happen but we should also be told how many tons of C02 were released. Everybody needs to be on board switching to a low C02 footprint lifestyle, not just us little people.
Up 17 Down 6
Just Say'in on Jan 7, 2017 at 6:03 pm
I talked to the Truck Driver that was hauling the Specialized stairs to the Yukon that the Royals walked down as they got off the plane in Whitehorse. The are very special and are built onto the back of a one ton truck double wide to allow them to walk down side by side. Just the freight to get them here was $7,500.00 each way and a daily charge while he waited for them. What is the Carbon Footprint of this little enterprise???? What a load of hypocrites. But I should pay a carbon tax to heat my home. Nice. See ya next election.
Up 16 Down 4
Yukoner on Jan 6, 2017 at 11:32 am
Better get some more dignitaries up here to send some tweets then we can get the costs down. If it fires off another tweet then it's half price!
Up 10 Down 13
jc on Jan 5, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Hundreds of members of the royal family stuck on that little island in the north pacific. And so glad to see some of them royals still come to do their boring business in the colonies once every five or so years.
Up 42 Down 7
Hugh Mungus on Jan 5, 2017 at 4:01 pm
$4,250 to send a telegraph?? Soapy Smith would be proud!
Up 29 Down 18
that was worth it on Jan 5, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Lots of infrastructure spending to really get our economy humming. Nothing like tax payers subsidizing a billionaire despot's travels. Oh sunny ways!!! This budget better balance itself as I don't have much faith ol selfie boy can do it.
Up 40 Down 7
Shakespeare'sOtherHalf on Jan 5, 2017 at 3:38 pm
$4,250 for Morse code software implementation ? As they say back in the Old Country , 'Gadzooks , verily though taketh the p*ss , surely ?' . ( Ah, but wait , that link involves dealing with NWTEL bureaucracy , in which case , an indubitable bargain , no less ! )