No money has been paid for RCMP security by Boonstock concert promoters.

The province of BC invoiced the promoter on September 5th for $176,901 and no payment has been received.

Perry Clark, Ministry of Justice – policing and security branch statement:

“The province has been in contact with the promoters urging payment. The $250,000 that the RCMP have cited represents the total costs at 100 per cent; however, the province can only invoice for the costs it incurs at the 70 per cent provincial cost share and it is up to the federal government to invoice the remaining 30 per cent.”

It is incumbent upon the promoter to reimburse the provincial government for these special event policing costs so that they do not become a burden to taxpayers, the statement further reads.

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October 2nd – about a month after the bill was due

We posed a number of questions to the Regional RCMP detachment in Penticton:

Has the $250 thousand policing bill for Boonstock be paid?

S/Sgt. Kurt LOZINSKI says “The organizer has asked for further breakdown / clarity as to the policing costs which are attached to the invoice. This has been sent to Policing Security branch (Government branch) who is the gate keeper of this and monitoring the expenses. We do not deal directly with the stake holders.

Are you meeting with organizers about a 2015 event?

S/Sgt. Kurt LOZINSKI says “We have not been contacted by the organizer to commence discussions for any upcoming event. We do not chase these as it is their event not ours. I would hope that lessons were learnt from the previous year and should this event take place next year that planning commences significantly earlier than last year.

Lozinski stated concern about the ambulance and hospital expense and thinks the public should be made aware of those costs as well.