Should 24 Sussex be restored? Carney says press conference coming Friday
Prime Minister Mark Carney says that a press conference will be held on Friday regarding 24 Sussex Drive, the derelict official residence of Canada’s prime ministers.
Carney was asked about the future of 24 Sussex at a news conference on Thursday and what he would like to see happen to the residence — the walls, attic and basement of which were found to be full of rodent carcasses and feces, according to a 2022 federal report.
That report also found water damage, flaking walls, rusting pipes and electrical issues also make the property a fire hazard.
“I’ll have a press conference tomorrow to answer that,” Carney said.
The residence has been deemed inhabitable for a prime minister for years, with Carney currently residing in Rideau Cottage.
24 Sussex served as the home for Canada’s prime ministers between 1950 and 2015.
Several heritage-minded groups, including Historic Ottawa Development Inc., have called for the federal government to reconsider the idea of outright replacing the property, saying they were interested in the “business case” of fixing up 24 Sussex.
globalnews
