Canada's vacant and crumbling official residence gets a lifeline

Canada's vacant and crumbling official residence gets a lifelineImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of Canada's prime ministers, was built in 1867.ByNadine YousifSenior Canada reporterPublished26 June 2026, 16:03 BSTUpdated 1 minute agoThe abandoned official residence of Canada's prime minister is getting a lifeline after Mark Carney announced a crowd-funded plan to pay for its multi-million dollar restoration. The plan includes a competition for Canadian architecture firms to submit proposals for the future of 24 Sussex Drive, as well as a call for donations to help fund the project.The restoration costs are estimated at north of C$100m ($71m; £53m) - a price tag that has discouraged previous prime ministers, both Liberal and Conservative, from having taxpayers foot the bill.Lack of political will to maintain the historic building has left it in disrepair, with one expert referring to it as a "national embarrassment".Dead rodents litter Canada PM's official homePublished13 April 2023The official residence was built in the 19th Century, equivalent to the White House or 10 Downing Street, albeit more "modest", said Joseph Clarke, an associate professor of architecture at the University of Toronto. The residence has witnessed key moments in the country's history, and its construction coincided with Canada's emergence as a nation, he said. The structure has been modified over the years from the original Gothic Revival design, Clarke said, adding that it became "a living record" of changing architectural styles, domestic Canadian life and public office.But the building has been uninhabitable for more than a decade due to years of deferred maintenance, with problems ranging from asbestos-filled walls to a rodent infestation. Prime Minister Carney and his predecessor Justin Trudeau chose instead to live at Rideau Cottage, a government-owned residence nearby. Workers in...