As per the Canadian government, the condition of the prime minister’s official residence is up in the air with water pipes that are rusted, electrical wiring that is aged and the property nearing a “catastrophic collapse”.
By India Today World Desk: The official residence of the Canadian prime minister was forced to shut down in 2022 after rodents, especially dead mice, caused a menace on the premises. The house has been vacant since 2015 and, as per the local government, the restoration work would not be an inexpensive affair.
Contrary to the popular belief that political leaders reside in some of the world’s most iconic properties, including the White House or the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the fate of the Canadian PM’s official house located at 24 Sussex Drive has fallen prey to rodent infestation.
The property has been home to Canada’s prime ministers for more than 70 years and, in fact, has welcomed personalities like John F Kennedy, Princess Diana, Mikhail Gorbachev. But the house, at present, is empty with dead mice on the inner walls, etc.
In an official statement, the Canadian government deemed the menace building’s “mouse issue which caused additional problems”.
As per Canada’s federal agency that manages the property, the National Capital Commission (NCC), the condition of the house is up in the air with water pipes that are rusted, electrical wiring that is aged and the property nearing a “catastrophic collapse”. The house further lacks central air conditioning.
The condition of the house is said to be bad to the extent of “concerns with air quality” for breathing, with interior walls of the property containing harmful asbestos, which cannot be fixed until a remediation strategy is in place. Meanwhile, the authorities stated they have been resorting to the bait method to control the situation.
As per a report in The Guardian, the Canadian government’s documents highlighted the cause of the menace as decades of mismanagement. Also, the condition of the house is considered a fire hazard too.
Source: India Today