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Official Residences Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. O-4)

Act current to 2024-03-06

Official Residences Act

R.S.C., 1985, c. O-4

An Act to provide for the operation and maintenance of official residences

Short Title

Marginal note:Short title

 This Act may be cited as the Official Residences Act.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 1
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 2

Properties

Marginal note:Prime Minister’s residence

 Notwithstanding anything in the Parliament of Canada Act, the lands described in Schedule I and the buildings thereon shall be maintained as a residence for the Prime Minister of Canada.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 2
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 3

Marginal note:Leader of the Opposition’s residence

 Notwithstanding anything in the Parliament of Canada Act, the lands described in Schedule II and the buildings thereon shall be maintained as a residence for the person holding the recognized position of Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, in this Act called “the Leader of the Opposition”.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 2
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 3

Marginal note:Speaker of the House of Commons residence

 Notwithstanding anything in the Parliament of Canada Act, the lands described in Schedule III and the buildings thereon shall be maintained as a residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 2
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 3

Marginal note:Leader of the Opposition’s summer residence

  •  (1) The Governor in Council may, by order, allocate any lands in the National Capital Region, as described in the schedule to the National Capital Act, and the buildings thereon as a summer residence for the Leader of the Opposition.

  • Marginal note:Tabling order

    (2) An order made by the Governor in Council under subsection (1) shall be laid before Parliament not later than the fifteenth sitting day of Parliament after it is made.

  • Definition of sitting day of Parliament

    (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), sitting day of Parliament means a day on which either House of Parliament sits.

  • 1980-81-82-83, c. 75, s. 1

Marginal note:Furnishings, maintenance, etc.

 The Minister of Public Works and Government Services shall furnish, maintain, heat and keep in repair the buildings on the lands described in the schedules or allocated pursuant to section 5, and the National Capital Commission shall maintain and, from time to time as required, improve those lands.

  • R.S., 1985, c. O-4, s. 6
  • 1999, c. 31, s. 172

Staff

Marginal note:Staff of Prime Minister’s residence

  •  (1) The Governor in Council may appoint a steward or housekeeper and such other employees as the Governor in Council deems necessary for the management of the Prime Minister’s residence, and may fix their rate of remuneration and conditions of employment.

  • Marginal note:Casual employees

    (2) The steward or housekeeper may, from time to time, with the approval of the Prime Minister, engage casual employees to assist the regular staff appointed under subsection (1).

  • Marginal note:Chauffeur

    (3) The Prime Minister’s chauffeur may be provided with lodging without charge.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 4
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 5

Marginal note:Staff of Leader of the Opposition’s residence

 The Leader of the Opposition may appoint a steward or housekeeper and not more than three other employees to manage the residence of the Leader of the Opposition.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 5
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 6
  • 1980-81-82-83, c. 75, s. 3

Moneys Authorized and Appropriated

Marginal note:Authorized benefits received as expense allowance

 For greater certainty, it is hereby declared that any benefit authorized by this Act and received by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition or the Speaker of the House of Commons is received as a living expense allowance expressly fixed in this Act.

  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 7

Marginal note:Uses of moneys appropriated

 Moneys appropriated by Parliament for the operation of the Prime Minister’s residence may be used for the payment of the remuneration of persons employed under the authority of section 7, for the purchase of food and other supplies required for the serving of food, for cleaning, laundering, and the ordinary maintenance of a residence, and for defraying other costs of official hospitality provided by the Prime Minister.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 6
  • 1980-81-82-83, c. 75, s. 4

Marginal note:Other uses of moneys appropriated

 Moneys appropriated by Parliament for the operation of the House of Commons may be used for the payment of the remuneration of persons employed under the authority of section 8 and for defraying other expenses related to their employment.

  • R.S., c. P-20, s. 6
  • 1980-81-82-83, c. 75, s. 4

SCHEDULE I(Sections 2 and 6)

All and Singular that certain parcel or tract of land and premises situate, lying and being in the City of Ottawa, in the County of Carleton, in the Province of Ontario, being composed of part of lot 3 in the Ottawa and Rideau Junction Gore in the Township of Gloucester described as follows:

COMMENCING at a point on the westerly limit of Ottawa Street (now Sussex Street) distant one hundred and seventy three feet, eight inches (173′8″) more or less southerly from the intersection of the westerly limit of Ottawa Street aforesaid with the westerly prolongation of the northerly limit of MacKay Street in the Village of New Edinburgh, the said point being the south-east angle of that part of the said lot lastly described in Instrument registered in the Registry Office for the Registry Division of the City of Ottawa as number 170475; thence westerly and parallel with the northerly limit of MacKay Street aforesaid, four hundred and fifty feet (450′) more or less to the high water mark of the Ottawa River; thence easterly and following the said high water mark with the stream to its intersection with the westerly limit of Ottawa Street aforesaid; thence southerly and following the westerly limit of Ottawa Street, five hundred and sixty three feet, eight inches (563′8″) more or less to the point of commencement. The whole containing an area of three acres and ninety-eight hundredths of an acre (3.98 acs.) more or less.

All that area composed of part of lot 2B, Range 10, of the cadastre of the Township of Eardley, County of Gatineau, Province of Quebec, described as follows:

COMMENCING in the westerly limit of the public road known as the Philippe Road at the point where it is intersected by the southerly shore of the creek running easterly out of Harrington Lake (Lac Mousseau); thence southerly along the said westerly limit of Philippe Road to a point in the said westerly limit which is at a distance of one thousand and eighty-nine and seventy-three hundredths feet (1089.73′) measured in a straight line having an assumed bearing of South fifteen degrees and forty-four minutes East (S.15°44′E.) from the point of commencement; thence North seventy-two degrees and thirty-three minutes West (N.72°33′W.) a distance of seventy-nine and thirty-four hundredths feet (79.34′); thence North fifty-six degrees and twenty-two minutes West (N.56°22′W.) a distance of six hundred and ninety-three and nineteen hundredths feet (693.19′); thence North forty-eight degrees and thirty-two minutes West (N.48°32′W.) a distance of three hundred and twenty-one and eighty-eight hundredths feet (321.88′); thence North forty-six degrees and twenty-five minutes West (N.46°25′W.) a distance of one hundred and fifty-six and one hundredth feet (156.01′) to a point in a small creek or drainage course flowing northerly into Harrington Lake (Lac Mousseau), the said point being a distance of forty-six and thirty-two hundredths feet (46.32′) westerly from the southwest corner of a white picket fence enclosing a garden; thence northerly following the said small creek to the southerly shore of Harrington Lake (Lac Mousseau); thence easterly following the southerly shore of Harrington Lake (Lac Mousseau) to the southerly shore of the above-mentioned creek running easterly out of Harrington Lake (Lac Mousseau); thence easterly along the said southerly shore of the said creek to the point of commencement.

  • R.S., c. P-20, Sch.
  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 8

SCHEDULE II(Sections 3 and 6)

All and Singular that certain parcel or tract of land and premises situate, lying and being in the Village of Rockcliffe Park, in the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, Province of Ontario, being composed of part of Block A8 as shown on Plan M 22 filed in the Office of Land Titles, Ottawa, containing by admeasurement forty-five thousand five hundred and sixty (45,560) square feet more or less, which may be more particularly described as follows, that is to say:

COMMENCING at the south-westerly angle of Block A12 shown on said plan M 22; thence southerly in the production southerly in a straight line of the westerly limit of said Block A12, two hundred and five and two tenths feet (205.2′) to a post planted by T.H. Bryne, O.L.S., thence easterly in the production westerly in a straight line of the Northerly limit of Hillcrest Road as shown on said plan M 22, two hundred and forty-seven and three tenths feet (247.3′) more or less, to the westerly limit of Acacia Avenue as shown on said Plan M 22; thence Northerly along the said westerly limit of Acacia Avenue two hundred and nine and twenty-five hundredths feet (209.25′) more or less to the southerly limit of the aforementioned Block A12; thence Westerly along the said southerly limit of Block A12 two hundred and twenty-eight and forty-two hundredths feet (228.42′) more or less to the place of beginning, being the whole of Parcel 3630 in the register for Carleton.

  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 8

SCHEDULE III(Sections 4 and 6)

All that parcel of land, of irregular figure, being part of lot No. 19-A, Range VII, according to the official plan and book of reference for the Township of Hull, Registry Division of Gatineau, Province of Quebec, which is more fully described as follows, to wit: —

Commencing at a point (hereinafter called the point of commencement) located on the Southern side of a Public Road, at a distance of two hundred forty-one feet and one tenth (241.1′) measured on a bearing South eighty-six degrees forty-six minutes West (S.86°46′W.) from the intersection of said Southern side of a Public Road with the dividing line between lots Nos. 18-A and 19-A; thence, on a bearing South eighty-two degrees fifteen minutes West (S.82°15′W.), a distance of four hundred sixty-one feet and seven tenths (461.7′) to a point; thence, on a bearing South zero degree fifty-eight minutes East (S.0°58′E.), a distance of three hundred eighty-seven feet and four tenths (387.4′) to a point; thence, on a bearing North eighty-eight degrees thirty-seven minutes East (N.88°37′E.), a distance of four hundred nineteen feet and two tenths (419.2′) to a point; thence, on a bearing North forty-two degrees forty-five minutes East (N.42°45′E), a distance of fifty feet and six tenths (50.6′) to a point; thence, on a bearing North zero degree twenty-two minutes West (N.0°22′W), a distance of four hundred two feet and three tenths (402.3′) to the point of commencement.

The above described parcel of land contains an area of four acres and thirty-one hundredths of an acre (4.31 acs.), more or less, and is bounded as follows: towards the North by a Public Road, towards the East, South-East, South and West by part of the same lot No. 19-A.

The directions referred to are astronomical and the distances in feet, English measure.

  • R.S., c. 20(2nd Supp.), s. 8

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