Since plans to restore 24 Sussex Drive were announced at the end of June, thousands of Canadians have chosen to be part of the project. But beyond the donations themselves, the restoration has also sparked a broader conversation about what 24 Sussex represents.
In social media, news coverage and conversations about the restoration, we’ve seen some common themes emerge in how people are talking about 24 Sussex. Canadians have talked about national pride, heritage and the importance of caring for the institutions that belong to all of us. A recurring theme is the distinction between the person who occupies 24 Sussex and the institution it represents.
One comment captured that sentiment quite simply:
“This is not politics, this is Canada.”
Others have focused on what we pass on. Ideas of heritage, history, national institutions and future generations appear throughout the conversation, alongside a sense that restoring 24 Sussex is about more than making a building habitable again. It is about preserving something that belongs to Canadians collectively.
A project Canadians are making their own
We are seeing many of those same ideas reflected in the donations coming to the Rideau Hall Foundation. Support has come from Canadians with many different stories, including proud immigrants who have made Canada their home. Some have also chosen to donate in honour or memory of parents, grandparents and other loved ones, connecting their contribution to their own family’s story in Canada.
Those individual stories are different, but there is a common thread running through many of them: a sense of pride in Canada and of belonging to something shared. There is no single Canadian story. Canada is shaped by people with different histories, cultures, experiences and relationships to this country. What connects us is not that we all experience Canada in the same way, but that we each have a place in its continuing story.
24 Sussex is a powerful expression of that idea. It is associated with prime ministers, but belongs to no one prime minister, political party or government. It belongs to Canadians. Through its restoration, Canadians are making that shared ownership tangible, and renewing a symbol of how Canada sees itself and what it aspires to be.
Creating ways for Canadians to participate
That response connects directly to RHF’s role as a national, non-partisan charity. Across our work, we create opportunities for Canadians to contribute: through learning, leadership, innovation, service, philanthropy and participation in the institutions and communities that shape our country. Restoring 24 Sussex is another expression of that mission.
The support so far reflects the national nature of the project. It has come from communities across the country, through gifts of many different sizes, and from Canadians with different connections to Canada and to 24 Sussex. New research into the reasons people are choosing to give will add greater depth to what we are already seeing, and we look forward to sharing those insights in the months ahead.
For now, both the public conversation and the messages accompanying donations offer an early glimpse. For many Canadians, this appears to be about more than restoring a residence. It is an opportunity to care for something we share, honour the people and stories that have shaped our connection to Canada, and help preserve a national institution for those who come next.
How you can participate
Those who would like to be part of the project today can make a donation in support of the restoration of 24 Sussex.
