Almost a year before the closure of 24 Sussex Drive due to disrepair and an infestation of rodents, the chairman of the National Capital Commission’s board of directors, Marc Seaman, warns that further delaying a cabinet decision on the fate of the residence would put the entire structure at risk.

The mansion, which sits on a prime riverfront property a few kilometres from Parliament Hill, served as the home for Canada’s prime ministers between 1950 and 2015.

Concerns about the deteriorating state of the building prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family to instead live at Rideau Cottage on the grounds of nearby Rideau Hall.

Since then, the federal Liberal cabinet has continually deferred making a decision about whether to restore the heritage property.

Stephen Harper, along with his family, was the last prime minister to live at 24 Sussex Drive, eight years ago.