More than $460,000 donated to restore 24 Sussex Drive

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the government is launching a design-and-build competition to rehabilitate 24 Sussex Drive. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

Two thousand Canadians have donated more than $461,000 to restore 24 Sussex Drive in the two weeks since Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to renovate the official residence in Ottawa.

On June 26, Carney launched a national design-and-build competition to rehabilitate and modernize the official residence of the prime minister, which is located along the Ottawa River.

As part of the plan, the Rideau Hall Foundation is leading the national, non-partisan fundraising campaign to cover the cost of the project, with the fundraising goal set at $50 million.

On Friday, the Rideau Hall Foundation announced it has received donations from 2,065 Canadians, with the average donation being $223. So far, $461,822 has been raised.

“To continue the march towards our fundraising goal of $50 million, a public fundraising appeal will launch in early fall and will include donor recognition,” the Rideau Hall Foundation said in a media release.

“Rideau Hall Foundation is accepting contributions in accordance with its established donations policies and the parameters approved for this project. These include that donations for this project may only be made by eligible individuals and registered Canadian charitable foundations, corporate donations are not accepted, anonymous donations are not permitted, and donors are required to attest to their residency status.”

The foundation also released a list of the donors who have donated as of July 6.

Sixteen companies have expressed an interest in partnering with other businesses to renovate and modernize 24 Sussex Drive as part of the federal government’s national design-and-build competition for the official residence of the prime minister.

Public Services and Procurement Canada says interested Canadian firms have until Aug. 15 to register their interest in the project. The department says details about the competition will be released this fall.

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