CAF moving military vehicles from Edmonton to Calgary ahead of G7 Summit

A Canadian soldier takes part in an announcement in Petawawa, Ont., on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick) (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will be moving a “substantial number” of military vehicles from Edmonton to Calgary for the G7 Summit, starting this week.

The RCMP-led Integrated Safety and Security Group (ISSG) said the move would begin on May 15 and continue through May 30.

The moves will occur at night to reduce traffic disruptions. Motorists are asked to be careful while sharing the roads with these vehicles and pass with caution.

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The vehicles will be travelling west on Highway 216 (Anthony Henday, south to Highway 2 (QEII), west on Highway 201 and south on Highway 40.

The ISSG would not confirm specific equipment or the number of vehicles involved in the road moves.

The G7 Summit in Kananaskis is scheduled for June 15 to 17, which will see leaders from around the world descend on the Rockies.

“The CAF is enhancing and complementing the safety and security efforts by providing planning support, air mobility support, rural terrain surveillance, chemical biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive response; as well as aerospace defence,” ISSG said.

The armed forces’ presence will also be increasing in and around Kananaskis in the lead-up to the summit.

Members of the public may notice the military working alongside RCMP members conducting operations before and during the event, around various locations.

Not only will the roads be a bit busier leading up to the summit, but also the skies.

Last week, the ISSG said preparations for the event will result in an increase in the number of military aircraft in the sky in Kananaskis.