The planned restoration of 24 Sussex Drive has renewed the prospect that the derelict official residence of Canada’s prime ministers could become a building on par with those of other world leaders.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said at Friday’s announcement that 24 Sussex is a “symbol of the office” and must serve as a home and workspace for prime ministers. Carney said that while he will never live in the building, it should be repaired for prime ministers to come.
Official residences around the world have faced their own sagas of disrepair and renewal. Some, like a famous white building in Washington, are still evolving.
Here’s a look at how 24 Sussex compares to other official residences in the G7.
24 Sussex Drive (Canada)
The National Capital Commission says the residence at 24 Sussex was built in 1868 but has only been used as the Canadian prime minister’s official residence since 1950, after its purchase by the federal government.
The 35-room main stone building is approximately 12,000 square feet in size and sits on 5.3 acres of land on the bank of the Ottawa River. The property also includes a smaller coach house, a pool house and two security guard kiosks.
The main house is divided into private quarters and a state area used for official functions hosted by the prime minister.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau did not move into 24 Sussex when he was elected in 2015, though he did use the building for some social events during his tenure.
24 Sussex was listed as in “critical” condition by the NCC in 2021 and was closed the following year for “health and safety reasons” — including an infestation of rats.
Trudeau and his successors have instead lived in Rideau Cottage, a 22-room, 10,030 square foot brick house built in 1867 on the grounds of Rideau Hall, which is the Governor General’s official residence.
Carney said Friday that the winning design proposal for 24 Sussex from a national competition will be announced by Canada Day next year.
A fundraising campaign will be launched to raise all or most of the cost of the project. It will be managed by the Rideau Hall Foundation.
Carney declined to offer an estimate of how much the renovations will cost and said the budget is part of the competitive process.
The White House (U.S.)
Perhaps the most iconic official residence for a G7 world leader, the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. has served as the private home and workspace for the president of the United States since it was first opened in 1800, after eight years of construction.
The original building was famously burned by British forces from what was then Upper Canada in 1814, during the War of 1812. It was torn down and reconstructed, with then-president James Monroe taking residence in 1817.
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Several of the most notable features of the modern-day White House — including the West Wing, the East Wing, the Rose Garden and the Oval Office — were added to the building over the ensuing decades.
The current structure is 55,000 square feet in size and contains 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms and six levels, according to the National Archives.
It sits within the 77-acre President’s Park, which also encompasses the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the U.S. Treasury Building, Lafayette Square and the Ellipse.
Zillow estimated in 2017 that the estimated property value of the White House is about US$400 million.
In 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump approved the demolition of the East Wing, which is set to be replaced with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which remains under construction.
10 Downing Street (U.K.)
The British prime minister’s official residence and office is probably the only one in the G7 more famous for its front door than the overall structure, with the gold-plated “10” providing a backdrop for several key moments in U.K. political history.
The 342-year-old townhouse in the City of Westminster, London, was gifted by King George II to Robert Walpole, the first prime minister of Great Britain, who took residence in 1735.
Originally three houses, the structures were combined into a single interconnected property that houses 100 rooms that include private residencies, government offices, including the cabinet meeting room and dining and reception rooms for official events.
Although the offices at 10 Downing Street have been used by most prime ministers, not all of them have lived there, opting instead for their own homes as the building fell in and out of disrepair throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Several refurbishment projects have been completed to preserve and modernize the building, with more planned for the future.
Since 1997, most prime ministers other than Rishi Sunak have opted to live in the larger flat above 11 Downing Street next door to No. 10.
The British real estate site Yopa says a “conservative” estimate for the property’s value, adjusted for inflation, is roughly 6 million pounds.
Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kōtei (Japan)
First built in 1929, the Japanese prime minister’s official residence is a two-story mansion whose design was inspired by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The 62,000-square-foot building sits in the Nagatachō district of Tokyo, close to the emperor’s Imperial Palace.
The combined residential and office facility became cramped by the 1990s, however, prompting the construction of an adjacent five-storey prime minister’s office building that opened in 2002 at a cost of 43.5 billion yen ($381.6 million).
The government says the new building, known locally as the Kantei, occupies 1.6 times the land area and is 2.5 times the floor area of the old residence.
The modern building houses government offices and cabinet meeting rooms, reception rooms where foreign leaders are welcomed and entertained and a national crisis management centre. It’s equipped with solar panels and a rainwater storage system.
The older building was retrofitted and underwent significant interior remodelling, and has served as the prime minister’s private residence since 2005.
There are rumours that the private residence is haunted as it was the site of two deadly coup attempts in 1932 and 1936, the first of which resulted in the assassination of then-prime minister Inukai Tsuyoshi.
Élysée Palace (France)
The French president’s official residence and office was completed in 1722 as the home of Louis Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, the governor of the capital region of Île-de-France. It was first given the name Hôtel d’Évreux.
After changing hands between a series of French elites, in 1848 it was decreed the residence of the first president of the French Republic, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, who lived there until a 1852 coup elevated him to emperor.
It has served as the head of state’s official residence since 1871, after the end of the Franco-Prussian war, with presidents adding modifications in the decades since. Not all presidents opted to live in the palace until the modern Fifth Republic began in 1958.
The palace’s interior is 120,300 square feet — 3,229 of which are private apartments — and sits on 3.7 acres of parkland, according to the French president’s office. The building contains 365 rooms on three floors.
Chancellery (Germany)
The largest official residence in the G7 and the world, the sprawling Chancellery complex, or Bundeskanzleramt, is eight floors, more than 693,000 square feet in size and stands 118 feet tall — more than eight times the size of the White House.
It was completed in 2001 at a cost of roughly 238 million euros and replaces the previous Reich Chancellery building, used from 1878 to 1945, when it was seriously damaged during the Second World War and subsequently demolished by occupying Soviet forces.
The reunification of Germany in 1990 led to Berlin being chosen as the modern capital, sparking a design competition for new federal government buildings.
German political journalists and locals have come to refer to the Chancellery as the Waschmaschine, or “washing machine,” due to the building’s cube-like architecture and a large porthole-shaped window in the upper office of the chancellor.
The Bundeskanzleramt includes a pneumatic tube system for sending original and classified documents between offices.
An extension that will add hundreds of new offices, a daycare and a helipad is set to finish construction in 2027.
Palazzo Chigi (Italy)
The Chigi Palace sits in the historic Piazza Colonna in the heart of Rome and is the oldest official residence in the G7, with construction taking place in the late 1500s. During its history, it has hosted royals and, in 1770, a concert by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The building wasn’t owned by the Italian state until 1916. Following the First World War, Benito Mussolini named the palace as the home of Italy’s foreign affairs minister.
In 1961, the palace became the official meeting place of the Council of Ministers — Italy’s cabinet body — and the prime minister’s residence.
The five-storey complex is roughly 28,800 square feet in size, according to an official appraisal from 1915 that set a sale price of 4 million lira, or $121,635 — $3.28 million today when adjusted for inflation.
Italy’s current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni opted not to live in Chigi Palace, instead staying at her family’s suburban home in southern Rome.
fits with recession,another unique canadian feature of the G7
Hilarious that PP pants mumbled opposition to fixing the place after Harper wrecked it.
Yet PP wants his Stornaway for free.
Tony Fuda the Russian coward is back. He won’t ernlist because he’s a little chicken baby.
The transparent process that Carney is using for fundraising will ensure there are no conflicts of interest. The vast majority of fair minded Canadians support this non-partisan, fair approach.
@Ben
Doesn’t Carney have a majority. With a simple act of parliament they could end the official residence of The Leader of the Opposition. All in the power of Carney if he wants to as he is the PM.
@Ben. Most are now criticizing this “fundraiser”. It brings in unnecessary conflicts. So Carneys cronies and friends help donate to build Carneys opulent castle that he feels entitled to. Do you think these friends will not be rewarded back a different way. You are very idealistic and dreaming in technicolor. Basically your speak is foolish and follows a bootlicking approach.
It’s great that this will be a competitive, open, transparent process under Carney. And the unique idea to fundraise will save taxpayer dollars! Not sure why Poilievre’s house is paid for by the taxpayer though. Other countries don’t pay for the losing leader to stay in taxpayer paid luxury!
Trump should take over Canada and the USA could build a Govenors’ White House in Canada.
It is obvious “Ben” has nothing to do with his time with his constant messaging on the Global comments page. Small minds get amused easily.
Canada has become a bland, uninspiring, mediocre country under the Liberals.
A brilliant move by Prime Minister Mark Carney to both recognize public support for the preservation of this historic building and to do so in a non-partisan way. All of his predecessors feared criticism from opponents and none recognized there was a non-partisan way of approaching it. Time will tell if enough funding comes forward to do the needed renovations. Hope so.
Ben
June 27, 2026 at 12:04 pm
One can tell that their making an impression when conservatives respond in the comments. It’s nice to be held in reverence by the older folk. ☺️
Funny how Liberals seem to mix up admiration with total contemp. Truly There is nothing at all admirable about a Liberal. They are simply d*rt bags who are anti Canadian and support g*nocide and p*dophilia. I wouldn’t and couldn’t admire anyone who supports the J*ws in their extermination of Palestine, their bombing of other countries and the deaths of so many children.
Ben and others can chortle whatever they want but anyone with a sane mind can see the writing on the walls. Carney and Liberals are going down. Their support is ebbing pretty fast. Pretty much every time Carney opens his mouth, they lose support. Just to stupid and arrogant to see it.
One can tell that their making an impression when conservatives respond in the comments. It’s nice to be held in reverence by the older folk. ☺️
Once again the comments section is an absolute mess and definitely not representative of the broader, mature, sane population.
The article makes several mistakes. First prime ministers in Canada are appointed. They are not elected. How do you propose misinforming the public about our system of government and then accurately reporting on leadership campaigns. general elections, byelections and floor crossers? Your own viewers and readers now come to it with a poor understanding of civics.
They also mix leaders of government and heads of state. So They compare the White House with is the working office and residence of the head of state and the executive branch of government with 10 Downing Street. Downing Street being the residence of the prime minister of the United Kingdom, but the working office of the head of state is Buckingham Palace. BP for about two hundred years has been the working office of the head of state and London residence of the monarch. By all means make the distinction and say Chuck chooses to live at Clarence House and commute to work. But those big state dinners and such take place at Buckingham Palace.
When talking about Canada point out that the prime minister is a member of the House Of Commons, has a large working office on Parliament Hill and the state events take place with the GG at Rideau Hall.
Total hypocrisy by Ben. Fine for Carney to have an official residence, but not okay for the Leader of the Opposition. Typical Liberal. PP isn’t asking for a new home to be built for him, unlike King Karney.
PP lives rent free in Ben’s head no doubt.
I think Ben has taken a few too many Rona “boosters”.
Ottawa, as a World Capital, is uninspiring compared to Washington DC, Mexico City, Paris, etc
@Ben…are your feeling getting hurt? You post like they are. There, there…..
@Ben. Trudeau did tremendous damage to Canada and Carney was his advisor for over 5 years. Carney has flip flopped on sacred cow Lib policies as he figured out how bad they were. Trudeau was an epic disaster.
@Ben. The TV media is sympathetic to the Libs, predominantly CBC which acts as a propaganda firm from Carney.
I don’t really care. This is a vanity oroject for the envious.
Carney has totally failed in his first year in office. Quite sure next quarter we will be in an “official” recession also. Carney has not kept his election promises.
The media in this country is very right wing. There is a large print media organization 60% US owned with close ties to the Trump republican party. How sad.
Wow censorship is just stupid on this story. Telling the truth gets you deleted. Many others are saying it but I must say it to good or something. Five comments outlining the trouble in Canada with its Liberal regime and a its a no go. Global is so in love with Carney, they simply will not bite the hand of the s*gar d*ddy.
F*ck Global and F*ck the Liberal swine.
The obsession by the Poilievre conservatives with Trudeau continues in the comments. Sad. I feel sorry for them as they are stuck in a time warp.
Carney loves his entitlements. Now the King wants Canada to build him a new castle along with his $50k in catering for every flight he takes. Outrageous waste of money.
Justin Trudeau deflowered Sophie at 24 Sussex.
The Trudeau’s destroyed 24 Sussex. The rats moved in when Pierre raised Justin there.
Justin then let 24 Sussex go into a decrepit state as he didn’t make a decision on the property for 10 years.
We can’t keep getting mogged by the Oval Office and White House. I agree with this decision
Sean got out of jail again.
It’s unbelievable that the same people who don’t want 24 Sussex fixed are the ones who support Poilievre living in a taxpayer funded palace in the wealthy Rockcliff neighborhood. That palace has cost taxpayers tens of millions and includes servants and a limo. Quite sad really that many conservatives are inconsistent.
Why dont you point out the amount he is paid thanks to Trudeau failure earns raises and bonuses. Then his endless travel while working for Brookfield INC. Yep why not a mansion in every city in his Canada istan, then one for all Brookfield corp neighborhoods. Why hold back their his buddy Epstien island would be a nice location for him and Trudeau.
It was Stephen Harper who left it in disrepair.
Fact.
Russian coward trolls like Tony Fuda (Peter Belinski) are back as they are too cowardly to enlist for Ukraine.
@Ben
Dale is right. The bootlicking and head-in-the-sand behavior is soaring to new heights these days. Unbelievable.
@Dale The fact remains that Carney came up with the brilliant idea to fundraising for 24 Sussex. Those won’t be taxpayer dollars. And on top of that, the donor list will be public. Yet another example of government transparency.
@Ben. What win? He is asking Canadians to pay for it directly. Your bootlicking is over the top.
I’m glad most of the money to fix this gem of history will be fundraiser. Carney, yet again, thinks outside the box and scores a win for Canada!
@Anonymous. Rats lived in it before Harper. Justin Tredeau was raised in 24 Sussex
Stephen Harper left it a mess.
Government mismanagement again. Instead of managing properties using established depreciation schedules successive governments neglected the asset to avoid negative press around budgets. Now taxpayers have a bigger bill. Very typical.