The prime minister’s official residence, 24 Sussex Drive, is to be gutted and closed due to the property’s decades-old deteriorating condition, says the committee that manages official residences in the Ottawa area. Until Justin Trudeau became prime minister in 2015, the property had been the residence of prime ministers since 1951. However, Mr. Trudeau and his family lived in a cottage on the nearby grounds of Rideau Hall, where the governor general is based. for concerns about the Sussex Drive residence. Announcing its plans on Thursday, the National Capital Commission said it was moving staff from the property and closing the 2.15-hectare site due to its poor condition. This is supposed to allow access to the plan to remove substances such as asbestos and remove outdated mechanical, heating and electrical systems. The NCC said in a statement that procurement for the project will take place over the winter to ensure work can start in spring 2023. However, the NCC was not clear on what is going to happen to the property once it is vacated. “The current project is only intended to carry out the work that needs to be addressed regardless of the decision made about the future of the residence,” said Valérie Dufour, NCC senior director of strategic communications. “In doing so, it will address the health and safety and asset integrity concerns identified by the NCC. The site will remain closed until a government decision is made on a permanent solution for the future of the prime minister’s residence.” The NCC cited continued aging and “deterioration of materials and systems” to explain why significant steps must be taken to mitigate potential fire hazards, water damage and air quality issues. You can learn a lot about Canadian politics by looking at the wreck located at 24 Sussex Drive In January, Mr. Trudeau said that Dr. 24 Sussex, where he lived as a child when Pierre’s father was prime minister, was in “terrible condition” and he and his family did not plan to live there while he was in power. “I have no intention of living at 24 Sussex, regardless of the length of my term or terms as Prime Minister.” He said the government was evaluating its options regarding the property. The residence at 24 Sussex Dr. it was built in the 1860s by timber baron Joseph Currier and in 1949 the government decided to adapt the house as a residence for the prime minister. The first prime minister was Louis St-Laurent in 1951. But the property has fallen into serious disrepair. The NCC said it will cost at least $36.6 million to rehabilitate 24 Dr. According to a 2021 NCC report on Canada’s official residences, 24 Sussex Drive has not seen significant investment in more than 60 years. “It requires extensive and urgent repair. All the buildings on the site require significant interventions and recapitalization,” the report states. “The building systems at 24 Sussex Drive have reached a point of imminent or actual failure and require replacement.” The report noted that the age and condition of electrical systems pose a fire hazard, plumbing systems “fail on a regular basis” and the possibility of repairs or upgrades is complicated by the presence of asbestos, lead and mold in many interior finishes. “The building does not have a permanent air conditioning system. Window air conditioners run in every room in the summer, which poses a safety risk and is inconvenient and costly,” the report said. Also, the report said, the RCMP has proposed some “significant security upgrades” because “the threat environment has changed drastically” since the last major renovation in 1951. NCC manages six official residences in the Ottawa area. They include Stornoway, the home of the official Leader of the Opposition, as well as Lake Harrington, which is the country house available to the Prime Minister, Rideau Hall, 7 Rideau Gate, a government guest house, and the home of the Speaker of the House of Commons. Calling for action on issues at the various properties, the report said: “Based on current practices, it would only be a matter of time before some properties reach the same level of dereliction as 24 Sussex Drive.”
