Mark Carney has launched a crowdfunded restoration and design competition to revive 24 Sussex Drive, Canada’s long-abandoned prime ministerial residence. The project is estimated to cost more than C$100 million, and the Rideau Hall Foundation will lead a national fundraising campaign that accepts only individual and philanthropic donations, with contribution caps and public disclosure. An independent jury will select a winning design by next July; asbestos, mould and rodents were removed in 2024, but significant work remains before the house can reopen as a secure, accessible and sustainable official residence.
24 Sussex to Rise Again: Carney Launches Crowdfunded Restoration and Design Competition
24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of Canada's prime ministers, was built in 1867. [Getty Images]
Mark Carney has unveiled a national, crowdfunded plan to restore 24 Sussex Drive — Canada’s long-vacant official prime ministerial residence — pairing a public fundraising campaign with an open design-and-build competition for Canadian architecture firms.
Why It Matters
Once the primary home of Canada’s prime minister and a setting for state hospitality, 24 Sussex has been uninhabitable for more than a decade after years of deferred maintenance. Reported problems included asbestos, mould and a rodent infestation; workers removed asbestos, mould and rodents in 2024, but additional major repairs are still required.
The Plan
The government estimates the full renovation will exceed C$100 million. To help cover part of that cost, the Rideau Hall Foundation will lead what Carney called a 'national fundraising campaign.' Donations will be accepted only from individuals and philanthropic organisations (corporate donations will be excluded), contribution limits will be set, and donor names will be publicly disclosed.
An image taken at 24 Sussex Drive in 1975 of a meeting between former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger [Getty Images]
Design-and-Build Competition
Carney announced an open competition inviting Canadian architecture firms to submit proposals for the future of 24 Sussex Drive. An independent jury will judge entries, with a winner expected to be selected by next July. The goal is to re-open the property as a 'secure, accessible and sustainable official residence' for future prime ministers.
Responses And Context
'This is their house,' Carney said, emphasizing the residence's status as a national symbol. Joseph Clarke, associate professor of architecture at the University of Toronto, described the building as a 'living record' of changing architectural styles and Canadian life, and called the fundraising approach 'politically elegant' given the sensitive optics of using taxpayer funds.
Carney acknowledged it is unlikely he will move back into 24 Sussex himself. Both he and his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, have lived at nearby Rideau Cottage while the official residence remains closed.
What Comes Next
The Rideau Hall Foundation will begin soliciting donations under the new rules, the design competition will proceed with an independent jury, and further restoration work will follow once funding and plans are in place. The government says the project will prioritise security, accessibility and sustainability while preserving the home’s historic character.
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