Canada lists old NYC residence for $13M, surpassing cost of new luxury condo

OTTAWA -

Canada is selling its former Manhattan residence, which used to house its consul general in New York. 

The 12 room, five-bedroom apartment located on Park Avenue was listed Thursday at over $13 million, which is expected to exceed the purchase of its new $9 million Manhattan condo located on Billionaires' Row.

Global Affairs Canada said the new condo is smaller and more suitable, saying that the old unit, which was purchased in 1961 and last renovated in 1982, needed updates to the electrical, heating, ventilation and plumbing.

It also did not comply with the 2021 Accessible Canada Act, which mandates barrier-free environments, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.

The department says the new condo will save Canadian taxpayers millions of dollars and reduce ongoing maintenance costs and property taxes while supporting future program needs.

But the Opposition Conservatives charge that only Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and "his wasteful Liberal government would believe it was a better deal to quadruple the cost to taxpayers and buy a new luxury condo for $9 million instead of making repairs."

Concerns about the Park Avenue apartment was first raised in 2014. 

Seven years later, Global Affairs Canada approved renovations at a cost of $1.8 million, but the project was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent documents submitted to the House committee on government operations and estimates show. 

Global Affairs Canada said in a letter to the committee that months after the new consul general to New York was appointed, they had identified new issues with the old residence. 

That included accessibility problems, lack of separation between family and work space, and restrictions on events that the cooperative board had imposed on them. 

The approved renovation project would not have resolved those "fundamental" issues, the letter said, and renovation costs had increased to $2.6 million. 

"Considering the high renovation costs needed to update the electrical, heating, ventilation and plumbing, Global Affairs Canada recommended a relocation to a new, smaller, more suitable, and more economical apartment," said Brittany Fletcher, spokeswoman for department on Thursday.

The Canadian government also owns a second apartment at the Park Avenue building in Manhattan, which remains occupied by Bob Rae, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations.

In search of a new official residence for the consul general in New York, the department worked with a local broker and viewed 21 different residences, ranging in price between $8 million and $21 million documents show.    The government ultimately settled on a new luxury condo in Steinway Tower, a building known as the world's thinnest skyscraper, and is just steps from Central Park.

The official residence will be used for diplomatic activities which include networking receptions, official briefings, and hospitality events such as discussions with business and political leaders.

It will be used by Tom Clark, a former journalist, who was appointed as Canada's consul general to New York in February 2023.

Opposition Conservatives charge that it's wasteful to drop millions on a new luxury condo for the prime minister's "media buddy" while sticking Canadians with the bill as "they are struggling to afford a basic roof over their heads or food on their tables."

"For Justin Trudeau and his well-connected Liberal insiders, life has never been so good while he continues to punish everyday Canadians with his expensive policies," said Michael Barrett, Opposition ethics critic. 

Global Affairs Canada was forced to admit it was behind the recent purchase after some New York real estate gossip reported that the condo deal was done for King Charles himself.

The deed for the property shows it was listed for more than US$6.6 million and was sold last month to "His Majesty the King in right of Canada."

That prompted some local New York media to report a royal purchase has been made, with Global Affairs Canada then moving to correct the record. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2024.