Pope’s Visit to Canada Cost $55 Million

Pope Francis meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Citadelle de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec, on July 27, 2022. Gregorio Borgia/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

When Pope Francis came to Canada last year to apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools, it cost the government $55.9 million, according to documents obtained by The Canadian Press.

Indigenous Services Canada paid the lion’s share, at about $30 million, for travel and local programs. Crown-Indigenous Relations paid $5 million, mostly to broadcast the visit and for translation. The RCMP paid more than $18 million for security.