Almost a year before the closure of 24 Sussex Drive due to disrepair and an infestation of rodents, the chairman of the National Capital Commission's board of directors warned that further delaying a cabinet decision on the fate of the residence would put the whole structure at risk.
The mansion, which sits on a prime riverfront property a few kilometres from Parliament Hill, served as the home for Canada's prime ministers between 1950 and 2015.
It's seen as a bit of a political quagmire. In 2018, Trudeau remarked that no prime minister wanted to spend taxpayer dollars on 24 Sussex. In the letter itself — sections of which have been redacted — Seaman said he wants to convey "the board's strong view that continued deferment … carries real risks to both the physical integrity of the building itself and our ability to execute our fiduciary responsibility as stewards of this most important classified heritage building on behalf of all Canadians."
Last fall, a rodent infestation, worries that electrical issues could start a fire and outstanding water damage, among other issues, led the commission to determine that 24 Sussex now posed a health and safety risk to the remaining staff who worked there. The building was officially shuttered to remove aged systems and asbestos.
A spokesman for Public Services and Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek, who replaced Tassi in the role last August, said Thursday it continues to work with the commission "to develop a plan for the future of 24 Sussex Drive."
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