24 Sussex Drive closed as rodent carcasses fill the walls and attic: documents

After years of warnings that the prime minister's official residence was in "critical condition," documents show that a severe rodent problem played a role in the closure of 24 Sussex Drive.

Documents prepared by the National Capital Commission (NCC) cite air quality concerns in the main building due to "an important rodent infestation" as an argument for the home's closure. Attempts were made to control the problem with bait but the NCC says it "leaves us with excrements and carcasses between the walls and in the attic and basement spaces."

“There is an important rodent infestation, which can’t be fully addressed until the building envelope issues are resolved,” the document, dated June 2022, read.

• Capital Dispatch: Sign up for in-depth political coverage of Parliament Hill

The documents, first obtained by the National Post via an access-to-information request, paint a picture of a famous residential address that is now considered "uninhabitable." Concerns in the main building -- which has housed Canadian prime ministers since the 1950s -- include mould, asbestos, an electrical system that is now considered a fire hazard and pipes that are so old they need to be decommissioned or a "potentially catastrophic collapse is inevitable.

"The critical condition of the property is making it increasingly difficult to contain designated substances such as asbestos and eliminate any risk to users of the buildings on the property. There are also considerable pest control issues. Together, these circumstances risk endangering the health and safety of current users," the NCC wrote in a letter to then-Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi before the decision to close the main home had been made.

The National Capital Commission started the process of closing 24 Sussex last November, with staff still working on site relocated to another NCC owned property.

The decision to close the official residence was made and communicated to the federal government last summer. In a letter sent to Tassi, the NCC says the board's decision to close 24 Sussex was "a necessary approach to eliminate the identified health and safety concerns."

While the NCC has completed some work over the last decade, including the rehabilitation of chimneys, and removal of hazardous materials from the main building, the building still requires major interventions and capital investment.

The last people to live in 24 Sussex were Stephen Harper and his family. Given the state of the historic site, the Trudeau family opted to move into Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall when Justin Trudeau took office in 2015. Documents show the fact the home is vacant comes with its own set of problems.

"Just last week there was a garden party hosting 15 hundred people, on the day we had tornado warnings for the area. If a meteorological event would have occurred, human nature could have lead to hundreds of guests rushing into this uninhabitable building which is a risk we can't accept," notes for a presentation dated June 23, 2022 read.

Asked last year about the state of the residence,the prime minister said he has no plans to ever live in the building he once called home as a young boy.

In addition to the main building, 24 Sussex Drive has a separate pool house, added in 1975 by Pierre Elliott Trudeau, that is "still used on a very frequent basis." That side of the building contains a sauna, a seating area and a pool.

Now, just like the main home, the pool building is considered by the NCC to be " in critical condition" and poses a risk to the user. The NCC estimates it will take six months to a year to do the repairs but warns that even after "invasive" repairs the building would still need "significant" future interventions as it would not be considered recapitalized.

Before just the pool house can be re-opened, the separate facility needs a new water and climate control system, all new electrical distribution and fixtures, and all the floors, ceilings, insulation and interior wood cladding removed so mould remediation can be done. Then, the NCC also says the pool needs to be emptied and retiled to remove the mould and algae formation. While the NCC documents do warn of a high risk of unforeseen conditions, the cost estimate for the work needed on the pool house has been blacked out in the ATIP documents.

The documents show that the NCC intends to begin abatement work on the main home this year, particularly with regards to asbestos and lead, as well as well as the removal of obsolete systems and infrastructure. Construction is expected to begin this spring and last one year. Any mention of cost estimates has been blacked out.

"Following this decommissioning work, there is no additional investment planned for this site while the NCC awaits a government decision," the documents say.

Asked if the procurement minister had yet to make a decision on the future of 24 Sussex, Helena Jaczek’s office offered no comment and instead referred CTV News to the NCC. 

A report from the auditor general's office in 2008 pegged the cost of renovating the building at $10 million. Just over a decade later, the NCC estimated it would cost at least 36.6 million to bring the official residence up to "good condition."