OTTAWA CITIZEN, by Catherine Morrison

As talks continue about the future of 24 Sussex, groups ardently supporting the building’s preservation say there are several reasons not to abandon the prime ministerial residence.

Heritage Ottawa Development Inc. (HODI), alongside a number of other organizations, including the National Trust for Canada and the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association, held a press conference on Friday afternoon to denounce the building’s demolition. The groups presented a list of reasons to instead support its restoration, taking into account cultural merit, environmental impacts and the cost of the project.

Last November, the National Capital Commission (NCC) announced that 24 Sussex was closing for major renovations, including the removal of asbestos and obsolete mechanical, heating and electrical equipment. While it had been inhabited since 2015, some rooms were being used as office space by the prime minister’s staff, with the grounds used for outdoor receptions.

Still in disrepair, this newspaper reported in May that NCC documents obtained from an access-to-information request revealed that it was in the process of “decommissioning” the building, with no additional investments to be made until it was decided whether the historic site would be renovated or torn down.

A 2021 report from the commission also stated that it would cost $36.64 million in deferred maintenance to renovate the building, not including security or other infrastructure upgrades, compared to the around $40 million it would cost to replace it.

Nonetheless, heritage groups say the building is still worth saving.

“In place of evidence, some officials appear to rely on a myth dating from about a century ago – when faced with fix up it’s always easier and cheaper than knock the thing down and start over,” said HODI president Marc Denhez. “We say no, 24 Sussex is our line in the sand.”

Dehez said there is “no evidence” that a new build would cost less than restoring the original building, adding that preservation can help sustain and improve Canada’s housing stock.

“We don’t know exactly the value of the cost allowances because some of the reports we’ve gotten from NCC through ATIP requests have been heavily redacted,” added HODI project director Ken Grafton. “It’s going to be vastly more expensive to build a new residence, maintain two residences, rather than just fix up the existing residence which was good for all the prime ministers prior to Justin Trudeau.”

Heritage expert Christina Cameron said that while there is no specific legislation to protect the heritage of 24 Sussex, there are federal policies that require custodians to “respect and conserve the heritage character of designated buildings under their care throughout their lifecycle.” She said there is no mention in any policy framework about demolition, adding that policies call for “best efforts to identify and facilitate alternative uses, including rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, before identifying a federal heritage property for disposal.”

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