Rehabilitation of the National Capital Commission assets including 24 Sussex and Harrington Lake: Committee of the Whole—July 8, 2020
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Context
The Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report, identified a requirement for a one-time injection of $83 million over 10 years to address the deferred maintenance deficit for all 6 official residences and ensure that the official residences meet universal accessibility and sustainability requirements.
Note
The numbers in the asset condition report represent recommended and projected investments based on 2017 asset values, not actual expenditures/commitments/planned spending by the National Capital Commission (NCC).
Suggested response
- The NCC is an independent Crown Corporation and is responsible for year-round maintenance and operations for the 6 official residences in Canada’s National Capital Region (NCR)
- The NCC recognizes the significance of the official residences and are committed to working with its partners to ensure that issues related to security, heritage preservation, sustainability, and accessibility are addressed
- The NCC is working with federal partners to develop a plan for the future of 24 Sussex to enable the government to make a prudent and informed decision
- Our goal is to ensure that all aspects of the rehabilitation are taken into consideration, including security, functionality, accessibility, design excellence and heritage preservation
If pressed on Harrington Lake rehabilitation costs:
- the NCC’s work at Harrington Lake is part of a broader program to preserve, maintain and restore all official residences under NCC management
- we will continue to support the NCC in its important work
If pressed on the NCC’s Asset Portfolio Condition Report:
- both the Government of Canada and the NCC recognize the importance of official residences of Canada, their heritage and cultural value
- that is why the NCC commissioned the 2018 report entitled Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report, detailing the investment required for the restoration of several of Canada’s official residences
- the NCC released this report in 2018 to remain transparent and open with both the Government of Canada and the Canadian public
- the NCC is committed to working with its partners to ensure that issues related to security, heritage preservation, sustainability, and accessibility are addressed
- we will continue to support the NCC in its important work
Background
Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report
In 2017, the NCC commissioned in-depth building condition reports for the largest and most complex buildings in the official residences portfolio. These reports found that 58% of the assets in the official residences portfolio were considered to be in ‘poor’ to ‘critical’ condition, including half of the main official residences (24 Sussex and Harrington Lake main cottage are in critical condition while the farm is in poor condition). The complete report, Official Residences of Canada Asset Portfolio Condition Report, was endorsed by the NCC Board of Directors in April 2018 and publicly released in October 2018.
The report reflects an in-depth analysis of the official residences asset portfolio and highlights the shortfall in funding required to restore and maintain these heritage buildings.
24 Sussex
On October 16, 2018, the NCC released the Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report, which found that 24 Sussex Drive was in “critical” condition. The report identified a requirement for a one-time injection of $83 million over 10 years to address the deferred maintenance deficit for all 6 official residences, and a further $24.6 million annually for ongoing maintenance, repairs and renovations. The implementation of this 10-year recapitalization plan would also need to consider the investment required to ensure that the official residences meet universal accessibility and sustainability requirements, as well as escalation.
Over the last decade, the NCC has completed significant work at 24 Sussex including the rehabilitation of chimneys and fireplaces, fire compartmentalization, stabilization of the escarpment at the back and west sides of the property and the removal of hazardous materials from the main building. However, it has not been able to proceed with the extensive rehabilitation of the residence and has been limited to completing work on the repairs relating to health and safety that were urgently required.
As 24 Sussex Drive has not seen significant investment in over 60 years, the additional work required would include the rehabilitation of the building envelope, mechanical and electrical systems, all buildings on the site would require extensive recapitalization and NCC would need prolonged access to the residence.
Construction activities on the main residence would allow for the abatement of hazardous materials, retention of certain heritage components, improvement in the building envelope, replacement of mechanical and electrical systems, construction of universally accessible entrances and washrooms, creation of dining facilities and support spaces to accommodate state functions.
Harrington Lake
While the main cottage at Harrington Lake is 95 years old, most of the buildings were built between 1850 and 1925. Harrington Lake, the official country residence of the prime minister, is used for both official and private functions, with buildings that can accommodate official business as well as state visits.
Harrington Lake last saw major capital investment during the 1950s (over 60 years ago); the property has not seen any investment since 2005, when the NCC made critical repairs to the roofing, eaves troughs, piping, electrical, mechanical and structural systems of the property. The Harrington Lake property was deemed to be in critical condition in the NCC’s 2018 Official Residences of Canada: Asset Portfolio Condition Report (see pages 38 to 43).
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