Fundraising to restore 24 Sussex Drive reaches $5.7 million of $50-million goal
The Rideau Hall Foundation has raised $5.7 million toward a $50-million goal to renovate 24 Sussex Drive, according to The Globe and Mail. The house in Ottawa is the official residence of the prime minister.
Teresa Marques, the foundation's president and chief executive officer, said more than 4,000 Canadians have donated to the campaign.
The $50-million target was set in June, when Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a plan to renovate and reopen the house. On June 26, he announced a national competition to restore the official residence. The federal project is meant to restore the property as a secure, accessible, sustainable and functional official residence and working venue, according to a prime minister's office news release.
The two sources of money are separate. The federal government will cover the security costs of the project, while public donations will pay for the renovation. The Rideau Hall Foundation says all funds raised for the project will be used for the restoration.
The foundation, a non-partisan national charity, launched the Council for 24 Sussex to help build support for the fundraising appeal. The foundation describes its role as supporting the past, present and future impact of Canada's Governor General.
The house has a long history of prime ministers. Nine of them lived there from 1951 to 2015. In 2023, the National Capital Commission, the federal body that oversees the capital region, cleared out the house. Crews removed the furnishings and finishes while the federal government considered what to do with the property.
In a July update, the foundation said a public fundraising appeal would launch in early fall to continue toward the $50-million goal, according to a foundation media release.
