Canada spends nearly $2 million on fake lake inside G-20 and G-8 media center

Canada builds fake lake for G-8

TORONTO — Canada’s Conservative government is coming under heavy criticism from opposition parties for spending nearly $2 million for a fake lake inside the media center for this month’s G-8 and G-20 summits.

Organizers are building the artificial lake to showcase the real G-8 site in Huntsville, Ontario, on June 25-26. The lake is part of a $1.9-million Canadian (US$1.8 million) display called The Canadian Corridor that will include canoes, trees, deck chairs and a fake dock.

Only a small pool of about 150 reporters will be allowed to cover the G-8 summit in Huntsville because of the small venue size, so many will cover it from Toronto — the site of the G-20 summit that same weekend.

Opposition lawmaker Mark Holland ridiculed the government on Monday for the expense. Opposition parties have already decried the nearly $1 billion cost for security.