The federal government is launching a national design-and-build competition to restore and modernize 24 Sussex Drive, the prime minister’s official residence in Ottawa.

The competition will be open to all Canadian firms, with the winning team tasked with designing and constructing the new official residence. The list of donors will be made public.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) will provide advice on the competition framework and create an independent jury of distinguished Canadian experts in architecture, heritage conservation, and design.

Chaired by Moshe Safdie, CC, one of Canada’s most renowned architects, the jury will provide key input to assess the proposals and will recommend the winning design to Cabinet. The jury’s members are: Carol Bélanger, Nicolas Demers-Stoddart, Omar Gandhi, Mamie Griffith, Patricia Kell, and Brigitte Shim, OC.

“24 Sussex Drive is more than a residence; it is an enduring symbol of Canadian democracy and an important part of our architectural and cultural heritage. The opportunity to renew it comes only once in a generation. By inviting Canada’s leading multidisciplinary teams to compete through an independent and transparent process, this initiative will showcase the design excellence, creativity, innovation, and expertise that define Canadian architecture and engineering,” said RAIC president Johanna Hurme.

The winning proposal will be announced next year on July 1. The selected team will be responsible for both the design and construction of the project, ensuring that its proposal is ambitious yet achievable, and supported by a credible construction plan.

The Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF) will lead a national, non-partisan fundraising campaign, with the goal of raising all or most of the cost of the project. The campaign will give Canadians and philanthropic organisations an opportunity to contribute to the renewal of this important national landmark.