Prime Minister Carney Launches Fundraising Campaign for 24 Sussex Drive Restoration

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Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a design competition and fundraising initiative to restore the historic 24 Sussex Drive, emphasizing its significance as a national symbol.

OTTAWA — On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to restore the prime minister’s official residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, introducing a national design competition coupled with a fundraising effort. The prime minister indicated that the winning design proposal is expected to be revealed by Canada Day next year. Carney described the heritage structure as a “symbol of the nation” that has deteriorated significantly due to decades of neglect, expressing his desire to prevent its further decline. “It has not been cared for with the respect it deserves,” Carney stated at a news conference held outside the building. “After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, this house sits empty. It has been uninhabitable for more than a decade.”
Constructed between 1867 and 1868 as a private residence, the 35-room mansion was expropriated in 1949 to serve as the official residence of the prime minister. However, it was abandoned in 2015 due to structural issues. The restoration of 24 Sussex Drive has been a contentious political issue for years. Since 2015, the National Capital Commission has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars on maintenance for the property. In 2022, the building was closed by the National Capital Commission due to “health and safety reasons,” which included a reported infestation of rats.
Carney emphasized that 24 Sussex is a “symbol of the office” and should fulfill its role as both a home and a workspace for future prime ministers. Although he will not reside in the building, Carney believes it is essential for the structure to be preserved for those who will. The fundraising campaign aims to cover all or most of the renovation costs and will be overseen by the Rideau Hall Foundation. While Carney did not specify the estimated renovation costs, he explained that the budget will be determined as part of the competitive process.
Donations will be publicly listed, and funding from individual donors will be limited; no single donor can contribute more than 10 percent of the total project cost. The Rideau Hall Foundation will have the final say on the fundraising guidelines. In the interim, Carney noted that the federal government would handle security expenses. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada will provide guidance on the design competition, which will be evaluated by an independent panel of design experts, chaired by renowned architect Moshe Safdie. The jury will include members Carol Bélanger, Nicolas Demers-Stoddart, Omar Gandhi, Mamie Griffith, Patricia Kell, and Brigitte Shim.
Carney expressed gratitude towards former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien for their advocacy regarding the restoration of 24 Sussex. However, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the initiative, suggesting that restoring 24 Sussex should not be prioritized amid the ongoing cost of living crisis affecting many Canadians. “When I see the homelessness in our streets and I see the young people who are desperate to start families but can’t get a house to do it, I just think the last thing on our minds should be 24 Sussex Drive,” Poilievre remarked at a press conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday. Poilievre himself resides in Stornoway, the official eight-bedroom residence designated for the leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.

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