With his progressive politics and seemingly affable charm, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was considered one of the world's more modern leaders when he was first elected in 2015.
As the son of former PM Pierre Trudeau he is accustomed to living in some of the finest houses in Canada and the father of three quickly took up residence at Georgian mansion Rideau Cottage. However, since announcing his resignation, his days there are numbered.
Click or scroll and let's take a look back at his property path to power…
As the eldest son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his artist wife Margaret – whose father James Sinclair was also a member of Parliament Justin was destined for a role in politics.
Pierre Trudeau was 51 when he married the 22-year-old Margaret in March 1971. They announced the birth of Justin, their first child, just ten months later, on Christmas Day. Justin was the first infant born to a sitting prime minister in a century and a cause for national celebration. He posted this photo from the family album on his Instagram.
Pierre Trudeau, seen here with the late Queen Elizabeth ll on a state visit in 1978, served as prime minister for almost 16 years and inspired adoration that became known as “Trudeaumania”.
Having dated Barbara Streisand in 1969 and linked to Kim Cattrall and Margot Kidder in the early 80s following his divorce, Pierre was known as a bit of a playboy.
The young family lived here, at 24 Sussex Drive. Perched on the banks of the Ottawa River in Ottawa's historic New Edinburgh neighbourhood, the mansion has been home to all Canadian prime ministers but two since 1951.
Originally called Gorffwysfa, which is Welsh for 'place of rest', the limestone-clad structure was built in 1886 and sits on a five-acre (2ha) plot of land. It was home to Justin Trudeau for the first eight years of his life and for another four years in the early 1980s.
Justin and his two younger brothers, Alexandre and Michel, ran amok in the mansion as young boys – as we can see from this photo of Pierre Trudeau carrying a young Justin to an outdoor reception for heads of the Commonwealth countries.
The children were introduced to many of their father’s illustrious guests, including Diana, Princess of Wales. Justin recalls in his autobiography Common Ground that Diana came over to Sussex Drive one day looking “a little out of sorts” and used their swimming pool, which his father had installed for daily workouts.
Justin Trudeau's mother Margaret is seen here on the left at 24 Sussex Drive in 1972 alongside President Nixon’s wife Pat, who is cradling baby Justin.
Margaret tried to create a relaxed environment away from the formality of official life. She turned a second-floor guest room into a nursery, painted robin egg blue, with a pine crib, antique rocking chair and patchwork quilt, and created a family space she called the 'Freedom Room', where they could be a normal family.
Justin and his brothers would peek through the banisters to watch the arrival of their parents’ distinguished guests, who included Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Schmidt, Ronald Reagan and other world leaders.
Richard Nixon famously tipped Justin as a future leader when he was just four months old during a state visit to Ottawa in 1972.
Laureen Harper, the wife of former PM Stephen Harper, gave CPAC a tour of the residence in June 2015.
Dinner parties were held around this dining table, where guests included the Aga Khan and Queen Elizabeth ll. Margaret recalls one occasion when the late Queen commented that her husband Prince Philip was having “far too much fun” down his end of the table.
A highlight of the dining room is its elaborate original ceiling and ornate chandeliers.
Despite her attempts to create a more relaxed family life, including time spent here in the cosy reception room downstairs, Margaret struggled with life as the first lady. She called the house “the crown jewel of the federal penitentiary system,” and she eventually separated from Pierre in 1977.
Justin and his brothers moved back in with their father in 1980 at 24 Sussex Drive, after their parents’ split and Pierre’s re-election.
Laureen Harper described the rear porch (pictured) as the best room in the house, due to its views and the sound of the rain on its metal roof.
However, she also said the house was extremely cold and needed extensive structural works – even back when she lived in it between 2006 and 2015.
It was an unsettling period for Justin Trudeau and his brothers following their parents’ separation in 1977. Their mother split her time between Canada and New York, taking up an apprenticeship with photographer Richard Avedon in the Big Apple, where she was photographed dancing at Studio 54 and hanging out with Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood.
However, Justin remains close to his mother and posted this picture of her alongside him and his brothers on Mother’s Day 2020.
The official residence of the leader of the Canadian opposition is Stornoway, which stands at 541 Acacia Avenue in Ottawa's upmarket Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood.
Justin and his brothers lived in the 19-room home fleetingly when their father lost the 1979 election to Joe Clark’s Progressive Conservatives. However, Pierre Trudeau became PM again the following year, which meant he and Clark had to swap homes not once but twice!
At the time Stornoway was reportedly home to "silverfish and an overly friendly family of skunks". Today, although in fair condition, it's slated to undergo work costing at least CA$1.2 million ($839k/£674k) to upgrade or replace electrical wiring, hardwood flooring and the fire alarm system.
While he was out of office, Pierre also bought this austere Art Deco mansion, known as Maison Cormier, in Montreal. It was originally designed in 1930 by Canadian architect Ernest Cormier.
Meanwhile, Margaret moved to the New Edinburgh district of Ottawa.
Pierre set about renovating the landmark property after retiring from politics in 1984. The living quarters are located below ground and Justin recalls dinners where he and his brothers were expected to read up on the important guests invited.
“He expected us to be interested and active participants in very grown-up conversations,” he told The Star.
Pierre sought out local craftsmen to restore Cormier’s stunning interiors, using expensive and refined materials including marble, terrazzo and cork floors.
Trudeau added an indoor swimming pool, which, according to Justin’s wife Sophie, who was a childhood friend, had a trapeze and ropes. “We could play Tarzan for hours,” she told Canadian publication Maclean’s.
Justin graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 1994 and then completed a degree in education at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. After graduating in 1998 he stayed on in Vancouver and began teaching at Point Grey Academy private school. While there he moved into an apartment in Douglas Lodge with a fellow Point Grey teacher.
The historic building dates back to 1912 and originally housed the Bank of Commerce. Over the years it has also been home to artist Emily Carr and actor John Candy.
One of Canada’s most charismatic prime ministers, Pierre Trudeau died of prostate cancer at his home in 2000. Justin, who had led a low-key life while he was teaching, returned to the spotlight when he delivered a moving eulogy at his father's state funeral.
His impassioned tribute caught the attention of politicians as well as the wider public. Claude Ryan, the former leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, described Justin's speech as "perhaps... the first manifestation of a dynasty".
Although they had their first date in 2003, Sophie Grégoire had already known the Trudeau family for years and was a classmate of Justin’s youngest brother, Michel. Sadly, Michel tragically died in an avalanche in 1998 aged 23. Justin and Sophie married in Montreal in 2005 and have three children, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien, known by his parents as Didi.
“What an adventure it’s been,” Sophie commented on this image she posted on her Instagram back in September 2020.
After their marriage, Justin and Sophie lived in a condo in Montreal, but after Trudeau began earning good money from paid public speaking engagements they upgraded to a CA$1.2 million home in Outremont – that's around CA$1.7 million ($1.2m/£954k) today. The couple's first child, Xavier, arrived soon after in 2007, with Ella Grace following in 2009.
Justin's political career took off in 2008 when he won the seat for Papineau riding, a Montreal electoral district thought unlikely to back his Liberal Party. He's pictured here in his modest campaign headquarters before his win.
In 2010, the couple reportedly sold their Outremont house for CA$1.6 million – about CA$2.2 million today ($1.5m/£1.2m). They then bought a smaller two-storey semi-detached home on leafy Glencoe Avenue, Mont-Royal for CA$777,000 (about CA$1 million or $700k/£560k these days) taking on a CA$622,000 mortgage (about CA$853,000 or $600k/£478k today).
After Trudeau won the Liberal leadership in 2013, he and Sophie sold their home for CA$890,000 (CA$1.2m/$839k/£674k today) and started a new life in Ottawa. The home came up for sale again in 2025 for CA$1.4 million ($978k/£786k) meaning the Trudeaus missed out on making a hefty profit.
The couple moved from Montreal to this home in Ottawa's Rockcliffe Park. It's no wonder Justin chose the area for his young family – the house lies roughly between two homes he grew up in: Stornoway and 24 Sussex Drive.
In summer, glossy green ivy covers the six-bedroom Georgian Revival home and white hydrangeas border the path up to the front door. The pair rented the house, perhaps guessing – correctly – that it wouldn't be long before they'd gain access to an even more impressive home.
It was while they were living here that the Trudeaus welcomed their third child Hadrien. The home was certainly an idyllic spot to raise three youngsters, with landscaped gardens and a sheltered backyard pool tucked away on the 15,000-square-foot (1,394sqm) lot.
The family rented the home from a former Bank of Canada official, who bought the home for CA$805,000 in 2001 – that's CA$1.3 million ($910k/£730k) today. It went up for sale in May 2015 for a shade under CA$2 million – around CA$2.5 million ($1.7m/£1.4m) today.
Trudeau and his family moved into Rideau Cottage when he took office in 2015, rather than 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of the prime minister, due to its state of disrepair.
Built in 1867, the 22-room Georgian Revival building is owned by the Canadian Crown, meaning it technically belongs to King Charles lll.
The family had been renting in the Rockcliffe Park area of the city before they took up residence in the historic house, which lies within the grounds of Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General of Canada, the King’s representative in Canada.
Measuring 10,000 square feet (929sqm), the Rideau Cottage has traditionally served as the residence of the secretary to the Governor General.
The prime minister has shared glimpses inside Rideau Cottage in his regular Instagram posts, including his tasteful kitchen and dining room, seen here during a meeting regarding Climate Action Incentive rebates.
The kitchen doesn’t get as much use as you might expect, according to one report, as meals are typically prepared externally and delivered to the family by messenger. In fact, food preparation took place at 24 Sussex Drive until the building was shut down in 2022.
Like many of us during the pandemic, Trudeau spent a lot more time working from home in his personal study. Here, the PM is pictured sitting behind an intricately carved oak desk, surrounded by bookshelves and framed pictures of his family.
There’s also a Lego model of a spaceship – Trudeau is a Star Trek fan – and a light ring, which no doubt came in handy for all those Covid-era Zoom meetings.
As well as being very active for numerous charitable organisations, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau is a qualified yoga instructor. She's seen here striking a pose with her daughter Ella-Grace in this image posted on her Instagram.
It provides insight into the tasteful way the family furnished their home, with exquisite antiques, bronze sculptures and a vibrant kilim rug.
Although Trudeau was entitled to live in 24 Sussex Drive when he entered office, the 34-room, four-floor mansion hasn't seen significant investment in more than 60 years. He said he was "fairly resigned" not to live there due to his reluctance to spend taxpayer money on its upkeep. However, conservationists disagreed. The chair of Heritage Ottawa's advocacy committee declared the deterioration of the building was "atrocious".
"This belongs to the people of Canada," he told CBC News. "Having a residence for the prime minister is just the cost of doing business as a nation. The truth is we just don't hold our built heritage in high regard in this country."
Although it has remained uninhabited since former PM Stephen Harper left office in 2015, it was used by staff until 2022 when the building was shut down due to safety concerns. An inspection carried out by the National Capital Commission (NCC) in 2021 found asbestos, mould, lead and so many dead mice trapped behind the walls and in the cellar that the air was reportedly "no longer safe to breathe".
Although Trudeau and his family chose to live in nearby Rideau Cottage instead, their meals were prepared at 24 Sussex Drive until November 2022, despite the apparent risks.
A 2021 report labelled the historic property as in "critical" condition. However, returning it to "good condition" could cost CA$36.6 million ($25.3m/£20.4m). The staggering sum would cover the removal of hazardous materials, the replacement of mechanical, heating and electrical systems and improving accessibility and fire safety.
In May 2023, a CA$4.3 million ($3m/£2.4m) "abatement and decommissioning" work finally began. The initial phase wrapped in summer 2024, completely gutting some rooms while preserving others. The home could be dropped as an official residence and the federal government is said to be eyeing up alternative plots on which to build a replacement.
While he couldn't live in 24 Sussex Drive again, Justin was able to return to Harrington Lake, the Canadian prime minister’s official summer residence in the Gatineau Hills, Quebec. He traces his happiest childhood memories to wilderness hikes and snowshoeing expeditions there with his father.
“It was when we paddled or hiked together back then that we felt closest as a family,” Justin has remarked in the past.
The exterior features a clapboard façade, a central gable and rustic wooden shutters, while the cosy interior is typical of the Cottage Revival style of the 1920s, where good craftsmanship and functionality were prized. Stone fireplaces and open verandas add to the home's informal character, making for a comfortable family retreat.
The living room was pictured here in 2012, when then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomed the former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Harrington Lake is now managed by the National Capital Commission.
This deck, which lies beside the boathouse and dock, is the perfect place for world leaders to enjoy the relaxing views across Lac Mousseau, as Harrington Lake is also known. During chillier weather, guests can sit in the home's enclosed sun porch to take in the vista.
Visiting dignitaries are comfortably housed in a choice of two guest cottages on the site.
Trudeau continued to decamp to the isolated spot with his family over the summer break every year, but he caused controversy when he visited the vacation residence during the Easter break in 2020 in the middle of coronavirus restrictions.
The house has been a haven for six prime ministers of Canada since it was gifted to the state in 1959 and has undergone some CA$11.7 million ($8.1m/£6.5m) of renovations since 2019.
Sadly, Justin and Sophie announced their separation in August 2023. The former couple, who were married for 18 years before their separation, revealed their split via Instagram after having many "meaningful and difficult" conversations.
Trudeau and former TV host Sophie – pictured here on their wedding day in 2005 – vowed to "remain a close family". They even spent the 2023 summer holidays together with their children in Tofino, British Columbia. Upon his return to Ottawa, Trudeau said: "I got...to focus on the kids, to focus on being together and moving forward."
The couple shares custody of their three children, who reportedly remained at Rideau Cottage with the PM. It was a case of history repeating itself, as Trudeau had lived here with his father after his own parents separated and his mother temporarily moved to New York.
However, although Sophie officially moved out of Rideau Cottage and stopped accompanying Trudeau to official events, the pair biked their son to school on his first day back that year. She reportedly moved into a loft-style condo in Ottawa with her new partner.
Over Halloween 2024, Justin shared snaps of his new life as a single dad and gave us a peek inside Rideau Cottage in the process. He's seen dressed in a suit ready for work while he appears to run up a Frankenstein costume on a sewing machine. In the background, a wall full of family photos and children's drawings dominates the room.
In another photo, Trudeau dabs green paint onto his son Didi's face in his home office. Cards and drawings jostle for space with books, notepads and a large Canadian flag.
Despite Sophie moving out of the family home, the former couple appear to be making the situation work. Sophie and Justin seem to have remained on friendly terms, with Sophie posting a number of family photos since the split.
On February 2024, she shared a picture of the whole family gathering to celebrate Didi's 10th birthday at home in Rideau Cottage (left). On June 2024, she paid tribute to Justin on Father's Day, sharing a throwback video of him with their children.
Trudeau celebrated his third election win in September 2021 and was expected to remain at Rideau Cottage at least until Canada's fixed-date 2025 election. However, on 6 January 2025 he announced he was stepping down from office.
Trudeau made the revelation standing in front of Rideau Cottage's famous white porch, having told his children of his decision over dinner the night before. He's staying on until the Liberal Party selects a new leader, but his days living at Rideau Cottage are numbered.
Luckily, finding a new home shouldn't be a problem. Trudeau is believed to have a net worth of around CA$7.2 million ($5m/£4m) as of 2025 and his family owns several properties around the country, including his late father's Maison Cormier and a summer house in the Laurentian mountains in Quebec.
We wonder which he'll choose...
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