Ottawa looking to drop 24 Sussex and build new home for PM elsewhere: sources
CBC
The federal government is looking at dropping the dilapidated mansion at 24 Sussex in Ottawa as the prime minister's official residence and is considering several other sites in the city for a replacement, sources say.
The various federal agencies in charge of the PM's official residence have identified other plots of land where they could build an official residence that is larger, safer and more accessible than the one that served prime ministers from 1951 to 2015.
The residence at 24 Sussex is in a state of disrepair after decades of neglect, and the grounds are simply too small to meet modern security standards, several sources and experts have told Radio-Canada.
One of the lots under consideration is in Rockcliffe Park, an idyllic spot along the Ottawa River that regularly hosts picnics and weddings, sources said.
The park has a secondary parking lot, surrounded by woods, in a less frequented area. It's also farther from the road and from the Ottawa River than 24 Sussex — factors which make it a preferred option among security experts, sources said.
The government also has evaluated a site near the RCMP Musical Ride training centre to the east of Rockcliffe Park. Sources said the flat terrain there is more visible from the road and the site would require fencing that would make it look more like a fortress.
Other plots of land owned by the federal government are also being studied. The leader of the Official Opposition's residence at Stornoway was even considered at one time, said a source.
Another option being examined is to move the PM's residence permanently to Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been living there in a "temporary" arrangement since 2016.
The government insists no final choice has been made.
"There is no option that has unanimous support, and every option has its pros and cons," said a federal government source.
In the midst of a housing and cost-of-living crisis, the construction of a new official residence costing tens of millions of dollars would be a political headache for the federal government, which has been dithering over 24 Sussex's fate for years.
"I think it's embarrassing that a G7 country can't provide a safe, secure residence for the head of government and their family," said former clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick, who was the head of the federal public service from 2016 to 2019.
Plans to renovate 24 Sussex were made during Trudeau's first mandate but the government decided the price tag was too high and the potential for political controversy too great.
"My understanding is there's no way to make [24 Sussex] safe at a reasonable cost," said Wernick.
Standing inside her non-profit managed rental unit in central Windsor, Ont., Sue Pare points to a crack in her kitchen floor she can’t get fixed.
Five people were sent to hospital, including one person with life-threatening injuries, after a fire broke out at a fraternity house near Western University prompting a police investigation.
A rusting and derelict ship that’s been looming large over the waterfront in Springdale for years will soon be removed and disposed of by the federal government.
Greater Sudbury taxpayers will be paying 3.9 per cent more in property taxes in 2026.
When it comes to wintry weather, the Maritimes has certainly dipped a toe into the water with this week's chilly temperatures and snow.
N.B. Power is warning that the U.S. company it hired to build and run a billion-dollar gas plant could walk away in April — a move that would set the project back years, and possibly lead to power shortages in the province.
After Serge Belloncik suffered a stroke in 2022, he developed aphasia, a communication disorder affecting his ability to speak.
Sioux Valley Dakota Nation says its annual Winterfest celebration has been cancelled for 2026, with the southwestern Manitoba First Nation's newly elected chief saying there was not enough time or funding to plan the four-day festival.
Amid a housing crisis, Saskatoon is poised to add more than 200 new apartment units near the downtown early next year.
Retired teacher Lynn Phaneuf says he and his wife generally only use the smart TV in the living room of their Prince Albert home to watch the news.
Tens of thousands of Edmonton public and Catholic school students are chronically absent each year, according to data obtained by CBC News. Education experts say they are alarmed by the numbers, warning they could be an early symptom of deeper issues for those students.
A Kelowna family fighting for justice reform and tougher laws to prevent intimate partner violence is welcoming a political victory in Ottawa.
When the Métis Nutcracker opens this weekend in St. Catharines, Ont., playwright Matthew MacKenzie hopes the audience will get swept away in the magical realism of the show – while also learning about colonialism, the war in Ukraine and the cultures of several Indigenous communities from Turtle Island.