Canadian and Design Construction Report staff writer
Prime Minister Mark Carney has launched a national competition to choose a Canadian team to redesign and rebuild 24 Sussex Dr., the official residence of Canada’s prime ministers.
The competition will be open to eligible Canadian firms, and the winning team will be responsible for design and construction. The government says the goal is to turn the aging residence into a secure, accessible and energy-efficient home and workplace while preserving its historic character.
“24 Sussex Drive is more than a residence, greater than a mere backdrop to history,” Carney said. “It is a symbol of the public office of the head of our federal government, and of the democratic traditions that office represents.”
The winner will be announced by Canada Day in 2027.
A panel of independent experts, chaired by renowned Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, will review the proposals and recommend a winning design to cabinet. The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada will help organize the competition.
“Canadians rightly expect their leaders to take decisions where the benefits may only be realised long after they are in office,” Carney said at a press conference. “We will restore 24 Sussex Drive to a standard worthy of the country it serves.”
To pay for the massive renovation, the Rideau Hall Foundation will lead a national fundraising campaign with the goal of paying for all or most of the project through private donations.
“For decades, 24 Sussex has stood at the centre of Canada’s national life,” said Public Services Minister Joël Lightbound. “Our government’s approach is clear: restore it responsibly, manage costs carefully, and ensure taxpayers get value for money.”
The residence has been vacant since 2015 because of its deteriorating condition. Since then, prime ministers and their families have lived at Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall.
Built in 1868, 24 Sussex became the prime minister’s official residence in 1951 when Louis St. Laurent moved in. The building was designated a federal heritage property in 1986 but has not undergone a major renovation since it was converted into the prime minister’s residence more than 75 years ago.
In fall 2022, the NCC began the process of closing 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada. The building was closed for health and safety reasons, as well as to protect this classified heritage asset.
With a budget of $4.3 million, the abatement and decommissioning project began in May 2023 and was completed in November 2024. The following elements have been addressed:
- careful removal, cataloguing and storing of heritage fabric, such as doors and mouldings
- abatement of designated substances, such as asbestos
- removal of obsolete mechanical, heating and electrical systems
A few state areas were excluded from the exercise because their heritage significance was too important to remove without a decision on the future of the residence. They were protected in situ. The stored heritage fabric elements could possibly be reinstated in the future.
