More than $100K raised for 24 Sussex restoration: Rideau Hall Foundation

Rideau Hall Foundation board chair Rob Prichard (left) leaves an announcement with Prime Minister Mark Carney outside the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada at 24 Sussex Dr., in Ottawa, Friday, June 26, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA — The foundation in charge of the fundraiser to restore 24 Sussex has received more than $100,000 in donations in the few days since Prime Minister Mark Carney first announced plans to renovate the heritage residence.

On Friday, Carney laid out the plan to have a public fundraiser and design competition to restore the former official residence of the prime minister.

Rideau Hall Foundation CEO Teresa Marques said in an emailed statement Monday the charity was “humbled and moved” by an influx of donations by individual Canadians over the weekend.

The foundation reports it has received more than 200 online donations averaging $257 each for a total of just over $54,000. New campaign pledges have added a further $50,000 to the fundraising total to date.

The renovation doesn’t have a specific budget yet but Marques said the cap for individual donations is set at $5 million, or 10 per cent of the $50 million goal.

“We look forward to sharing more information, including names of donors, on a financial milestone basis,” Marques said.

Rideau Hall Foundation is accepting contributions in accordance with its established donation policies, which reject corporate and anonymous donations and require that donors attest to their residency status. Additional information about the campaign’s screening and eligibility processes “will be made publicly available,” Marques said.

Carney said last week that 24 Sussex is a “symbol of the nation” that has fallen into a “critical state” after decades of neglect, and he does not want to see it crumble.

It was built as a private home in 1867 and 1868, but didn’t become the official prime minister’s residence until 1951. It has been vacant since 2015 due to significant structural problems including a rodent infestation, crumbling plumbing, faulty electrical wiring and a leaky roof.

• IN PICTURES: 24 Sussex Drive: A glimpse inside the gutted heritage building

Multiple prime ministers opted not to spend money to maintain or renovate the property. A 2008 auditor general’s report outlined more than $10 million in repairs needed to fix it.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau and his family moved into Rideau Cottage, across the street on the grounds of Rideau Hall, when Trudeau became prime minister in 2015. Carney and his family also now live at Rideau Cottage, and he said he will not move into 24 Sussex, leaving it for the next prime minister to take up residence there.

Carney said the winning design proposal will be announced by Canada Day of next year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2026.

— with files from David Baxter

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press