The federal government spent nearly $500,000 on accommodations at the United Nations climate change conference in Belém, Brazil, according to records reviewed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“You know you’re spending too much money when you could have saved money by booking a penthouse with a jacuzzi,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “When the government spends more than a thousand dollars a night on a one-bedroom apartment in Brazil, taxpayers have every right to question whether bureaucrats are serious about helping the environment or if they’re just looking for an expensive taxpayer-funded getaway.”

Canada flew approximately 240 people as part of its delegation to COP30 in Brazil, according to media reports. Paying for delegates’ travel and accommodations, along with the government’s pavilion, cost taxpayers at least $1.6 million, records show.

The federal government spent $482,800 on accommodations, according to a response to an order paper question from member of Parliament Carol Anstey.

One of the favourite accommodation spots for Canada’s delegation was “Athenea’s Garden,” where a three-bedroom apartment cost more than $40,000 for a 20-night stay.

The government also spent $1,313 per night for a one-bedroom apartment for three nights.

The summit’s planning committee apparently did not shop around for cheaper accommodations because there seem to be much cheaper options.

The records didn’t show costs for alternative locations at that time, so, as an experiment, the CTF compared Airbnb costs of renting Athenea’s Garden for 20 nights versus other nearby lodgings in November 2026.

The CTF found a three-bedroom duplex penthouse with a jacuzzi and barbecue grill that would cost about $5,000 for 20 nights next November and the location is closer to the COP30 venue. Meanwhile, staying at the Athenea’s Garden during that same time would cost about $82,000.

The government sent delegates from Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Agriculture Canada, Global Affairs Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada.

In addition to accommodations, transportation cost $297,400 and per diems cost $39,000. That works out to about $3,400 per delegate.

“It’s a good bet the government can help the environment without dropping half-a-million dollars on a networking pavilion in Brazil,” Terrazzano said. “And why does the government need to hire outside contractors to help build a website for its pavilion that barely anyone used?

“This entire trip smacks of bureaucrats looking for ways to throw taxpayers’ money away.”

The government spent $650,000 on Canada’s “pavilion” at the conference, according to records released in response to a separate order paper question. The government described the pavilion as a “central networking hub … to showcase Canadian climate leadership and innovation.”

Environment Canada already has digital services and communications branches that specialize in “social media” and “web” services.

Yet, the government spent more than $310,000 on outside contractors to help create and manage the Canada pavilion website and event programming.

The COP30 pavilion website had about 7,300 users “from its launch until the end of COP30,” according to the records. For context, with more than 56,000 people in attendance, only about 13 per cent of all the people at the conference looked at the website.

“There’s probably a better way for the government to fight climate change than flying a bunch of bureaucrats around the world every year burning through jet fuel and tax dollars,” Terrazzano said. “Here’s a crazy idea: The government doesn’t need to fly hundreds of people to these international conferences.”

The federal government has a long history of racking up big bills at international climate change conferences.

Canada sent more delegates to COP26 in Glasgow than any other G7 nation, including the host country. During the conference, then-finance minister Chrystia Freeland stayed in Edinburgh, which is 86 kilometers away from Glasgow. Freeland and her entourage billed taxpayers $3,000 on a luxury chauffeur service to get to and from the conference.

The federal government spent $3 million for COP28 in Dubai. Most of the hotel expenses came from the Dubai Marriott and the Premier Inn at the Dubai Investment Park, with most rooms costing between $150 and $400 per night. The most expensive room was an $816-per-night suite.