Carney announces contest to revamp uninhabitable Canadian PM residence | Canada

There are two things at 10 Downing Street: mice and chief mouser. An officially recognized cat for more than a decade has been keeping rodent infestations in the residence to a minimum.

During a similar period, there was an uncontrolled rodent explosion at the official residence of the Canadian prime minister.

Nests and copious amounts of feces were found in 24 35-room Sussex mansions overlooking Ottawa. They took over the attic, basement, and crawl spaces. Rotting corpses filled the walls of the decrepit building.

Now prime minister Mark Carney has announced a competition between the country’s leading architectural firms to revitalize the storied building “to a standard befitting the country it serves”.

The Royal Canadian Architectural Institute will design the framework and convene an independent jury of experts in architecture, heritage preservation and design to recommend the winning design to cabinet.

“24 Sussex Drive will be built by Canadians for Canadians,” Carney told reporters on Friday, adding that the winning design will be announced on July 1, 2027, that is, Canada Day.

“At a time when much of the world is grappling with crisis, Canada’s history, our institutions and traditions are more important than ever,” he said, standing outside the uninhabitable building. The Prime Minister said that the foundations of identity largely consist of language, culture and laws, but buildings can remain as testaments “made of wood and stone, in which we recognize ourselves”.

Originally called Gorffwysfa (Welsh for “place of peace”), the vast estate has been home to 11 prime ministers since the government took it over in 1951. However, the deficiencies here have been troubling heads of government for a long time.

Jean Chrétien, prime minister from 1993 to 2003, brought reporters to witness the necessity of buckets to collect rainwater from a leaky roof. Only after a storm blew off parts of the roof was he finally able to get the necessary repairs done.

“This is a symbol of the public office of the head of our federal government and the democratic traditions that that office represents. Yet he is not treated with the respect he deserves,” he said. “He’s in critical condition right now.”

Years of neglect have left the prime minister’s official residence plagued by mould, cracked windows, faulty plumbing and an electrical system widely seen as a fire hazard.

In 2023, the National Capital Commission (NCC), the group tasked with preserving heritage buildings in Ottawa, closed the residence due to major safety hazards. The following year, asbestos, mold, lead and rodent carcasses were stripped, leaving the building empty but costing an estimated C$40 million to completely renovate and remediate it, he said. On Friday, Carney said it was difficult to estimate the cost because so much depends on the final design.

Last month, former governor general Mary Simon, whose term recently ended, said it was inappropriate for a prime minister to live on the grounds of Rideau Hall.

But Rideau Cottage, a 158-year-old building originally designed for the governor general’s secretary, was chosen out of necessity for former prime minister Justin Trudeau and his family, given the inhospitable state of 24 Sussex.

Carney continued the tradition by residing at Rideau Cottage.

Carney told reporters that 24 Sussex has long been a symbol of the country but “it also needs to be a home, and the men and women who will lead our country in the future will need a home for their families.” He was adamant that he would never be able to live in the house, given the completely opposite timelines of redevelopment and politics.

“I and all public servants are servants of the offices we hold. We do not own these offices. We serve them to serve Canadians, and we have a responsibility to leave things better than we found them.”

Legendary architect Moshe Safdie, who designed many of the country’s most admired buildings, will chair the jury that evaluates the design plans.

“It’s an extraordinary place with extraordinary potential,” Safdie said. “Something great could be developed here.”