24 Sussex belongs to all Canadians. As the official home of Canada’s Prime Minister, it represents our democratic continuity and is part of the institutional fabric of our country. Its restoration reflects the importance many Canadians place on preserving the institutions that help tell our shared story and connect us across generations.
It is also a shared national undertaking, one Canadians are already choosing to be part of. The Rideau Hall Foundation is proud to lead a transparent, non-partisan fundraising appeal that invites people across the country to contribute to the restoration of 24 Sussex, helping preserve this important institution for generations to come.
The response so far has been remarkable. Since the project was announced by the Prime Minister, more than 3,300 Canadians from every province and territory have spontaneously contributed more than $735,000 toward the restoration – before the launch of a formal fundraising appeal.
That spontaneous generosity tells us something. Even without a formal call for support, thousands of Canadians felt compelled to give. They have seen something in this project that matters to them and have chosen to be part of it.
There is a broader opportunity in that response. It invites us to think about the causes, ideas, and ambitions that can inspire people to give in new ways. When Canadians feel a connection to something and can see a meaningful role for themselves in it, there is real potential to unlock generosity that may not otherwise have found an outlet.
The early response to 24 Sussex suggests that national pride can be a powerful part of harnessing that potential. Canadians are choosing to invest in a national institution and in something that will endure beyond their own lifetimes. Their contributions reflect a sense of collective ownership, and a desire to participate in Canadian ambition, excellence and national pride.
Restoring 24 Sussex is part of the Rideau Hall Foundation’s Realize Ambition campaign, a national effort to transform aspiration into action and invite Canadians to play a role in building the country we want for the future. The early response to 24 Sussex shows what that can look like in practice: thousands of individual acts of generosity coming together around a shared national purpose.
When Canadians feel a connection to something and can see a meaningful role for themselves in it, there is real potential to unlock generosity that may not otherwise have found an outlet.
This fall, the RHF will launch a broader national fundraising appeal, creating more opportunities for Canadians to participate in the restoration of 24 Sussex. The thousands who have already stepped forward offer an early glimpse of what is possible when Canadians are given a meaningful way to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
Canadians restoring 24 Sussex, together.
Those who would like to be part of the project today can make a donation in support of the restoration of 24 Sussex.
