Canada to restore 24 Sussex Drive

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Friday that the federal government will proceed with a restoration of 24 Sussex Drive, the official prime ministerial residence that has sat vacant and deteriorating for over a decade. The decision ends years of uncertainty about the future of the historic property, which has been deemed uninhabitable due to severe structural and health issues.

Carney made the announcement at a scheduled press conference, fulfilling a promise made to reporters the previous day. He currently resides at Rideau Cottage, as did his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. The National Capital Commission (NCC), the federal agency responsible for the property, closed 24 Sussex in 2022 for health and safety reasons, citing problems that included a rodent infestation, asbestos, mould, outdated wiring, and significant water damage.

The 35-room mansion, built in the late 1860s, served as the prime minister's official residence from 1951 until 2015. Despite its vacancy, maintaining the vacant building has cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years for expenses including pest control, repairs, and routine upkeep. A 2022 federal report detailed extensive...