24 Sussex Drive: Rideau Hall Foundation launches public fundraising campaign

More than $5.7 million has been donated towards the $50 million goal to renovate 24 Sussex Drive, as the Rideau Hall Foundation launches a new council to spearhead the public fundraising campaign to renovate the official residence of the prime minister in Ottawa.

On June 26, Prime Minister Mark Carney launched a national design-and-build competition to rehabilitate and modernize 24 Sussex Drive, which is located overlooking the Ottawa River.

The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) is leading the national fundraising campaign to cover the cost of the project, with the fundraising goal of $50 million.

On Wednesday, the RHF announced over 4,000 contributions have been made to renew 24 Sussex Drive, “ranging from individual donations of $25, $50 and $100 to significant commitments.”

“We are enormously grateful to the Canadians who have already stepped forward to support this project,” Teresa Marques, President and CEO of the RHF, said in a statement.

“There are very few opportunities for Canadians to contribute personally to a project of national significance that will still matter generations from now. The renewal of 24 Sussex is one of them. Whether through a leadership gift or a modest contribution, every donor is helping write the next chapter in the story of 24 Sussex.”

Council for 24 Sussex Drive

The Rideau Hall Foundation also unveiled the Council for 24 Sussex, a group of volunteers who will “help mobilize support for the appeal and encourage participation in this once-in-a-generation national project.”

The council members will engage Canadians and encourage donations to support the renovation and restoration of the prime minister’s residence.

“We are deeply grateful to the Canadians and philanthropic leaders who have helped us reach this milestone. Every sovereign country is defined, in part, by institutions and symbols that reflect its place in the world,” Robert Prichard, chair of the RHF Board of Directors, said in a statement.

“As the official residence of Canada’s prime minister, 24 Sussex is part of the architecture of our democracy. Renewing it is not simply about preserving history; it is about ensuring that our national institutions reflect the confidence and ambition of the country they represent.”

The Council for 24 Sussex includes:

Lesley Bentley, British Columbia
Roger and Jenny Hardy, British Columbia
John Montalbano, British Columbia
Joanne Cuthbertson, C.M., Alberta
Deanna Zumwalt, Alberta
Susan Glass C.M. and Arni Thorsteinson O.M., Manitoba
Patsy Anderson, C.M. and Jamie Anderson, C.M., Ontario
Maureen Boyd, C.M. and Colin Robertson, C.M., C.D., Ontario
Ed Clark, C.M., Ontario
Mark Cullen, C.M., Ontario
Anthony S. Fell, O.C., Ontario
Roger Greenberg, C.M., Ontario
Charlie Pielsticker, Ontario
J. Robert S. Prichard, O.C., O.Ont , Ontario
Susan St. Amand, Ontario
Cornell Wright, Ontario
Anne-Marie Hubert, C.M., Q.C., Quebec
Evan Price, Quebec
Hon. Aldéa Landry. P.C., C.M., New Brunswick

No one has lived at the official residence of the prime minister in Ottawa since June 2015, and the National Capital Commission (NCC) closed the historic building to the public in 2022 due to health and safety concerns.

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24 Sussex Drive was built in 1867-68 and has been home to 10 prime ministers. The main building includes 34 rooms, as well as another small home at 10 Sussex Drive, a pool house and two RCMP guard houses.

The NCC completed abatement and decommissioning work in 2024 to address health and safety issues and remove “obsolete mechanical, heating and electrical systems.”

According to the foundation, the maximum donation one person can provide is $5 million, representing 10 per cent of the total fundraising goal.

For more information on the fundraising campaign to restore 24 Sussex Drive and to make a donation, visit the Rideau Hall Foundation’s website.

Nearly $6 million donated to restore 24 Sussex Drive

Council for 24 Sussex Drive