A brief history of 24 Sussex, the former — and future — home of prime ministers

OTTAWA — The federal government has announced a plan to restore the official residence of the prime minister at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa through a national design competition and fundraising campaign.

Here is a short history of the storied building.

1867-68: 24 Sussex Drive is built by Joseph Merrill Currier, a lumber baron and member of Parliament. It was designed by his brother, James Monroe Currier, an architect from the U.S.

1949: The building is expropriated by the federal government.

1950: 24 Sussex is refurbished as the official residence of the prime minister.

1951: Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent becomes 24 Sussex’s first prime ministerial tenant.

1986: 24 Sussex is designated as a classified federal heritage building.

2008: A report from the auditor general’s office pegs the cost of renovating the building at $10 million, including cracked windows, faulty plumbing and electrical systems. There was also asbestos found in the home.

2015: 24 Sussex becomes vacant as former prime minister Justin Trudeau and his family move into Rideau Cottage, pending a plan to address the needed renovations.

2022: The building is closed by the National Capital Commission for “health and safety reasons.” Those include a rodent infestation in the walls.

2023-24: The National Capital Commission completes a $4.3 million abatement and decommissioning project to store heritage items like doors and mouldings, get rid of asbestos and remove obsolete mechanical, heating and electrical systems.

March 2025: Mark Carney becomes the second prime minister in a row to move into Rideau Cottage, instead of 24 Sussex Drive.

June 26, 2026: Prime Minister Mark Carney unveils plans to restore 24 Sussex Drive through a national design competition and fundraising campaign. He says the winning design proposal will be announced by Canada Day 2027.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2026.

The Canadian Press staff