PM Carney says he has no plans to tackle 24 Sussex question during his mandate
OTTAWA - Almost a decade after 24 Sussex Drive was abandoned as the official residence of the Canadian prime minister, taxpayers are still shelling out tens of thousands of dollars a year to maintain the vacant property, and the new prime minister has signalled he's in no rush to deal with the crumbling building.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in May that it's up to the National Capital Commission to decide what to do with 24 Sussex.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ottawa Citizen
39 minutes ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Canada Day tourism season looks strong as bookings climb in Ottawa
Article content 'There's so much to do for everyone's tastes in Ottawa,' he said. Article content Article content As the director of public affairs for Ottawa Tourism, Miousse knows that Canada Day typically brings in an influx of tourists from across the country. Leading up to this year's festivities, he says he's expecting 'a lot of traction.' Article content Article content 'It should be a very good one,' he said. 'We're looking forward to it. Especially with the current context, there's a lot of Canadian pride.' Article content Article content Canadian residents returned from 2.7 million trips to the United States in March — a 24 per cent decrease from the previous year, according to Statistics Canada. Flights to the U.S. were also down by 5.5 per cent. This decrease in travel comes amidst an ongoing U.S. tariff war. Article content It's unclear whether tourism numbers will exceed record years in 2019 and Canada's 150th birthday in 2017, Miousse says, but he's optimistic so far. Article content 'We're already seeing more hotel bookings than last year,' he said, adding that Ottawa has seen 10 million tourists in the last year alone, who have generated an estimated $2.6 billion for the local economy. Article content 'It's igniting a sense of your civic pride, right, to want to visit your capital city to celebrate the national day of your country.' Article content Article content Article content Miousse says 90 per cent of Ottawa's tourists are Canadian, accounting for a 'niche market' that Ottawa tends to attract. Along with a heightened sense of Canadian pride, he cited initiatives like the Canada Strong Pass as incentives that make this year's Canada Day special. Article content Article content 'We've all seen what's happened in the world and in Canada these past few months,' he said. 'It's all about making the most of these trends, and that's our advantage here in Ottawa.' Article content 'Obviously, Canada Day is an uptick to that.'
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Carney calls House Speaker ‘Mr. Prime Minister,' prompting laughs from MPs
In a moment that caused both sides of the House of Commons to erupt into laughter, Prime Minister Mark Carney mistakenly gave his own title to Speaker of the House of Commons Francis Scarpaleggia. Carney, who was answering a question from the opposition during question period in the House of Commons on Tuesday, started his answer by addressing the Speaker, as required by House of Commons rules, which state all questions and responses must be directed through the Speaker. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In English, MPs typically refer to a man serving in the role of Speaker as 'Mr. Speaker,' while in French, they direct questions and answers through 'Monsieur le président.' 'Mr. Prime Minister,' Carney began instead. Immediately realizing his gaffe, Carney put his finger up and said, 'Sorry!' Story continues below advertisement A smiling Carney pointed at himself while MPs from both sides of the House erupted in laughter. 'Battlefield promotion there,' Carney said, also laughing. Correcting himself, Carney continued, calling Scarpaleggia 'Mr. Speaker.'
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
EV interest is stalling over cost concerns. Could a consumer rebate help?
Demand for electric vehicles around the world appears to be on the decline, according to a recent survey from Shell that says cost and affordability are key concerns for buyers. At the same time, the Canadian government confirmed this week that it is exploring a new consumer rebate for electric vehicles. Statistics Canada reported that in the first quarter, or three months, of this year, 37,299 new zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) were registered, making up 8.7 per cent of all new motor vehicle registrations, down more than 23 per cent compared with one year prior. For the month of April, the latest update from Statistics Canada, EV sales accounted for just over 7.5 per cent of all vehicles sold in Canada. Why are consumers less interested in electric vehicles? New data shows that overall, consumers who haven't bought an EV already say it's primarily due to the costs of purchasing and owning one for the long term. Story continues below advertisement Shell Global released the results of a survey on Tuesday showing falling demand for electric vehicles, especially in Europe and the United States, with affordability the main reason cited, along with charging network reliability. Meanwhile, the report shows that more than two-thirds of current electric vehicle owners reported feeling less worried about charging concerns than a year prior, and nearly three-quarters say the options and availability of public charging points have improved. Although the Shell Global survey did not poll Canadians, there are consistent findings in other recent reports that did. An AutoTrader survey conducted in 2024 found that non-owners in Canada are hesitant to purchase an electric vehicle due to 'limited travel range/distance, inadequate availability of charging stations, higher purchasing costs, and the belief that EVs are unsuitable for cold weather.' 'Overall, while almost half of non-EV owners are open to buying an EV for their next vehicle, interest in EVs has declined for the second year in a row,' Tiffany Ding, director of Insights and Intelligence at AutoTrader, said last year. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy AutoTrader also confirmed at the time that there was a direct correlation between lower gas prices and lower demand for electric vehicles, and vice versa. 2:01 With Trump administration incoming, what will happen to Canada's EV plan? In early 2022, demand for electric vehicles peaked worldwide as the price of traditional gasoline spiked and consumers sought alternatives. Story continues below advertisement This was in addition to strained supply chains, which made traditional gas-powered vehicles more expensive along with other products, and a lack of preparedness for the change in consumer demands made it harder for car companies to keep up. By the end of 2022, things changed direction as supply chains caught up with demand, and affordability started to take a toll on households amid high inflation and rising interest rates. The AutoTrader survey found that drivers instead were looking more and more to hybrid options, including plug-in hybrids, which offer the benefits of both a gas engine and electric by not relying as much or at all on a charging network and consuming less traditional gasoline overall. 6:01 Where does Canada's EV industry currently stand? Prices have also been gradually declining for some electric vehicles, so it is possible car companies are taking note of a drop in demand and cost concerns. Story continues below advertisement In some cases, this has also meant delaying plans for expanding EV production. According to the average price for a new EV in Canada as of December 2024 was $70,682, which is down 7.8 per cent from a year earlier, while used options averaged $42,045, a drop of 18.4 per cent from 2024. Canadians can currently purchase some of the cheaper electric vehicle options brand new, starting at roughly $40,000. There is also the cost of charging, which may include the purchase and installation of a home charger, vehicle maintenance specific to electric vehicles, as well as depreciation over time, which differs compared with some gas-powered versions. AutoTrader's price index for the first quarter of 2025 pinned the national average price for a new vehicle at $65,564 — down almost three per cent year over year — and the national average price for a used vehicle at $36,823, a drop of 2.2 per cent year over year. Could a rebate help? Responding to reporters on Tuesday outside the House of Commons, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin said 'there will be a consumer rebate,' with few other details given for now. Story continues below advertisement 'Will it be named, iZEV? That I can't tell you,' Dabrusin said when asked by reporters earlier this week about a future rebate program for EVs. This followed a meeting in which the Opposition Conservatives called for current electric vehicle mandates to be scrapped, including the Trudeau government's goal to have all new consumer passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in Canada be zero-emission by 2035, citing concerns about the Canadian auto sector and U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies. As of now, Canada and the United States have imposed on each other a 25 per cent tariff on all automotive imports that do not comply with the current North American trade deal known as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Canadian auto makers and other industry leaders also support ending these mandates, suggesting that the lack of consumer rebates or other incentives makes these goals unrealistic and a 'policy failure.' 2:32 BIV: Province pausing electric vehicle rebate program The iZev, or Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles, program was launched by the federal government in 2019 but ran out of funding by January of this year. Dabrusin's comments suggest it will be replaced with a new strategy aimed at making EVs more affordable for some Canadians. Story continues below advertisement The iZev was intended to act in addition to provincial electric vehicle rebates where available. Previously, the iZEV program offered up to $5,000 off the cost of a new electric vehicle, and over the nearly six-year life span, it cost the federal government nearly $3 billion.
