Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Boonstock organizers have yet to pay the large policing bill that was issued in September, following the Penticton festival.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the province invoiced the promoter on Sept. 5 for $176,901.10, and no payment has been received yet.

"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 ($176,901.10), and it is up to the federal government to invoice the remaining 30 per cent," said Perry Clark, executive director, policing and security branch, Ministry of Justice, in a statement. 

In September, the Penticton RCMP compiled their stats and completed a cost analysis of police operations directly related to the festival held over the August long weekend.

At the time they stated that not only did the policing role change due to security concerns, but so did the policing resources.

Initially estimated to cost around $200,000, the final two days required more officers in the event grounds to compensate for identified deficiencies, with the new policing cost evaluation just over $250,000. 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.

Boonstock organizers could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday. 

In September, they issued a statement on Facebook, regarding the RCMP bill:

"In response to the RCMP press release from Sept. 10, we would like to assure the taxpayers of Penticton, and of the province of British Columbia, that Boonstock Productions Inc. is responsible to pay for reasonable RCMP enforcement costs for the 2014 event.

We have a nine year track record of paying our RCMP service agreements in full.

On Sept. 5, the Ministry Of Justice, Police Services Division, delivered an invoice to us with a total owing of $176,901.10 and those amounts are due within 30 days of the date of the invoice.

We are in the process of requesting a resources breakdown of the RCMP services provided to Boonstock Productions Inc., including receipts and additional details of costs incurred."

The statement in its entirety is on the Boonstock Facebook page.