Canada selling one of its Manhattan apartments to cover cost of new $9M condo

OTTAWA — Canada is selling one of its apartments in New York City to cover the cost of a brand-new luxury condo it recently purchased for $9 million.

The Canadian government owns two apartments at a Park Avenue building in Manhattan, one of which is used as the official residence for the consul general in New York.

The second apartment is used by Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Global Affairs Canada said the former “is being readied for sale, and is expected to cover the purchase price of the new unit.”

It would not disclose what the listed price will be.

The new condo was bought because the old unit wasn’t up to code and doesn’t meet the department’s standards, said Global Affairs spokesman John Babcock.

Renovating it would have required “significant investments” since it was last refurbished in 1982, he said.

Global Affairs Canada did not respond to repeated questions about what work needed to be done to their one Park Avenue apartment, and why it doesn’t meet their standards.

Ottawa revealed it was behind the recent condo purchase after New York real-estate circles speculated King Charles himself bought the unit after reading a deed that cites “His Majesty the King in right of Canada.”

The Opposition Conservatives have made hay over the price tag, with Leader Pierre Poilievre vowing to fire consul general Tom Clark if he becomes prime minister.

Clark, a former journalist, was appointed to the role in February 2023 by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly.

“Trudeau spent $9 million on a luxury ‘Billionaires’ Row’ condo for his Liberal media hack, Tom Clark, whom he made consul general — whom I will fire,” Poilievre said in a social media post, Wednesday.

“Life has never been better for Trudeau’s friends, and it’s never been worse for working Canadians.”

The Conservatives are unconvinced that there was a need for the luxury condo, pointing out that many Canadians are priced out of buying a home.

“Under Justin Trudeau’s government, everyday Canadians are constantly punished by his disastrous policies while Liberal insiders are doing better than they ever have,” Opposition House leader Andrew Scheer said in a statement on Thursday.

The previous Conservative government under prime minister Stephen Harper had a list of about 40 official residences abroad that it wanted to sell as part of a three-year plan to cut millions in spending within Foreign Affairs.

In 2012, visa services in Canadian embassies in Germany, Japan, Iran, Malaysia and Bangladesh were shuttered. Four consulates in the United States in Anchorage, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Raleigh-Durham also closed.

About $80 million was to be saved by closing some official residences, the Conservative government said at the time.

Some properties that were ultimately sold included the former Canadian ambassador’s residence in Dublin, a diplomatic mansion in London and a heritage home in Sweden.

Global Affairs Canada provides residences to heads of missions such as ambassadors, high commissioners and consuls general based on a “real property policy,” said spokesman Babcock.

That includes taking into consideration the importance of the mission, he said, and following a standard for residences.

A listing for Canada’s new unit shows it has three bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, as well as a wet bar, a powder room finished in jewel onyx and — as Canadian officials ramp up their entreaties ahead of the upcoming U.S. election — plenty of space for entertaining.

The official residence will be used for diplomatic activities which include networking receptions, official briefings and hospitality events such as discussions with business and political leaders.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2024.

Mickey Djuric, The Canadian Press