Rehabilitation of 24 Sussex, the Official Residence of the Prime Minister
Context
The Prime Minister and his family have relocated to Rideau Cottage until decisions are taken on the rehabilitation of 24 Sussex Drive. The Prime Minister’s Official Residence was found to be in “critical condition” in a report released by the National Capital Commission (NCC) in October 2018.
Suggested Response
- The Government recognizes the historic and symbolic importance of the Official Residence of Canada’s Prime Minister located at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa.
- The National Capital Commission is working with federal partners to develop a plan for the future of 24 Sussex to enable the Government to make a prudent and informed decision.
- Our goal is to ensure that all aspects of the rehabilitation are taken into consideration, including security, functionality, accessibility, design excellence and heritage preservation.
Background
On October 16, 2018, the NCC released the Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report, which found that 24 Sussex Drive was in “critical” condition. The report identified a requirement for a one-time injection of $83 million over 10 years to address the deferred maintenance deficit for all six official residences, and a further $24.6 million annually for ongoing maintenance, repairs and renovations. The implementation of this 10-year recapitalization plan would also need to consider the investment required to ensure that the official residences meet universal accessibility and sustainability requirements, as well as escalation.
Over the last decade, the NCC has completed significant work at 24 Sussex including the rehabilitation of chimneys and fireplaces, fire compartmentalization, stabilization of the escarpment at the back and west sides of the property and the removal of hazardous materials from the main building. However, it has not been able to proceed with the extensive rehabilitation of the residence and has been limited to completing work on the repairs relating to health and safety that were urgently required.
As 24 Sussex Drive has not seen significant investment in over 60 years, the additional work required would include the rehabilitation of the building envelope, mechanical and electrical systems, all buildings on the site would require extensive recapitalization and NCC would need prolonged access to the residence.
Construction activities on the main residence would allow for the abatement of hazardous materials, retention of certain heritage components, improvement in the building envelope, replacement of mechanical and electrical systems, construction of universally accessible entrances and washrooms, creation of dining facilities and support spaces to accommodate state functions.
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