PM Carney says 24 Sussex to be restored with fundraising campaign, design competition

“After decades of deferred maintenance and neglect, this house sits empty. It has been uninhabitable for more than a decade.”

The 35-room mansion was built in 1867 and 1868 as a private residence. It was expropriated in 1949 to become the official residence of the prime minister. It ceased to be the official residence in 2015 due to structural issues.

Its restoration has long been a political football.

The National Capital Commission has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain 24 Sussex since 2015. The building was closed by the National Capital Commission in 2022 for what it called “health and safety reasons” — including an infestation of rats.

Rodent bait stations could be seen throughout 24 Sussex during a media tour of the first floor following Carney’s announcement. There were several sections cut out of walls with labels fixed nearby warning of the presence of asbestos.

Much of the first floor is stripped right down to the studs, leaving wood, brick and stone exposed.

Wall paper and crown moulding is still in place in a few rooms like the prime minister’s study, living room and dining room. Instead of being used as work and living spaces, they currently serve as storage for items like doors.

Carney said 24 Sussex is a “symbol of the office” and must serve as a home and workspace for prime ministers. Carney said while he will never live in the building, it should be repaired for prime ministers to come.

The fundraising campaign is meant to cover all or most of the cost of the project. It will be managed by the Rideau Hall Foundation.

Carney declined to offer an estimate of how much the renovations will cost and said the budget is part of the competitive process.

The list of donors will be public and the donations will be capped, he said.

Individual donors will be barred from funding the bulk of the project. Carney said no individual donor can cover more than 10 per cent of the final project cost but the Rideau Hall Foundation will make the final call on fundraising rules.

The prime minister said the federal government will cover security costs in the meantime.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada will advise the government on the design competition, which will be adjudicated by an independent panel of design experts chaired by celebrated architect Moshe Safdie.

The Prime Minister’s Office said the jury will consist of Carol Bélanger, Nicolas Demers-Stoddart, Omar Gandhi, Mamie Griffith, Patricia Kell and Brigitte Shim.

Carney thanked former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien for advocating for the restoration of 24 Sussex.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has said restoring 24 Sussex should not be a priority for the government, given the cost of living crisis facing 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 told a press conference on Parliament Hill on Thursday.

Poilievre lives in Stornoway, an eight-bedroom official residence reserved for the use of the leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2026.

— With files from Catherine Morrison

David Baxter and Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

PM Carney says 24 Sussex to be restored with fundraising campaign, design competition

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