Trudeau calls for plan to build a new official prime minister’s residence

The Canadian prime ministers' residence, 24 Sussex, is seen on the banks of the Ottawa River in Ottawa on Monday, Oct. 26, 2015. (Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

With one foot out the door, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is asking one of his ministers to help develop a plan for a new official residence to replace the vacant 24 Sussex.

In a letter addressed to Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos and obtained by The Canadian Press, Trudeau asks that a proposal exploring new options for the prime minister’s official residence be drafted by January 2026.

The official residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa was closed by the National Capital Commission in 2022 for “health and safety reasons” and has been uninhabited since 2015.

In his letter, dated March 7, 2025, Trudeau asks Duclos to put together a consultation group that would share recommendations on the location, functionality, cost and security requirements of the new official residence.

He also says the composition of the group would be determined by the Clerk of the Privy Council.

Trudeau says in the letter he has asked Minister of Public Safety David McGuinty to help Duclos oversee the consultation group, if needed.

Trudeau says the proposal should include a plan to transfer all responsibility for the official residence beyond general maintenance from the National Capital Commission to Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney will be sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister in a ceremony at Rideau Hall Friday after Trudeau’s formal resignation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.