The Crown corporation responsible for overseeing 24 Sussex Drive, the Prime Minister’s official residence, has decided to close the building due to health and safety risks.
The National Capital Commission (NCC) announced Thursday that it will relocate staff from the facility and begin planning for the removal of obsolete equipment that poses safety concerns.
“With the continued aging and worsening of materials and systems, greater steps must be taken to mitigate issues of high concern such as potential fire hazards, water damage and water quality issues. air,” the NCC said in a news release.
“The relocation of employees and the closure of the site are necessary to prevent these concerns from materializing.”
The condition of the building is listed as “critical” on the Treasury Board website and the residence is estimated to need $36.6 million in repairs.
A recent NCC report said the residence should be replaced as it is not fit to serve as the residence of a great world leader.
That report concluded that “the overall condition of the official residences continues to deteriorate due to years of chronic underfunding,” NCC spokesperson Dominique Huras told CBC News at the time.
Due to the condition of the building, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has lived on the grounds of Rideau Hall with his family since his election in 2015.
The NCC said in Monday’s statement it would begin planning to remove some safety hazards – including asbestos and obsolete heating and electrical equipment – while the government decides what to do with the property.
“The work to be done on this project must be completed regardless of any future decisions regarding the residence,” the NCC statement said.
In January, Trudeau said the government would weigh its options before deciding what to do with the residency.
When asked on Thursday whether the government had drawn up any further plans for the building’s future, Purchasing Minister Helena Jaczek’s office said no decision had been made.
“We are working closely with the NCC to develop a plan for the future of 24 Sussex Drive,” a spokesperson for Jaczek’s office said in an email.
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