Former home of the Consul General of Canada in Denver Address: 445 Dexter St., Denver, Colorado Asking price: $1.7 million Description: 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms
The federal government has sold an Oslo mansion for far less than its original asking price of $20 million, raising fresh concerns that the Conservative Party is selling its diplomatic assets at bargain prices.
Sales of official residences are accelerating, with at least seven units sold since June.
Canada’s official residence in Norway’s capital was sold for $12.5 million on September 29 after two years on the market. Ottawa’s $20 million asking price made local front-page news when the property first went on the market.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said the city’s zoning decisions limited development options for the land, so it was sold for significantly less than the original asking price.
Canada is not the only country looking to capitalize on the growing demand for prime urban real estate in major cities around the world. The World Property Journal reported earlier this year that this is an international trend, as governments consider older buildings located in central locations too expensive to maintain. Increasing security needs are also reducing the attractiveness of properties facing urban roads.
The federal government claims some of these buildings are unnecessarily luxurious and expensive. The sales are defended as being in the best interest of taxpayers in an era of spending restraint.
However, the unique nature and history of some properties has led the government to face criticism over whether they are getting the right value. There are also questions about whether the sale of a major gathering spot could ultimately damage Canada’s reputation abroad.
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said it “looks like a fire sale of diplomatic assets” and questioned whether there was adequate oversight to ensure value for money.
The seven recently sold homes include homes in Mexico City ($3.33 million), Detroit ($840,000), Seattle ($2.07 million), and two homes in Washington ($2.6 million and $1.7 million). , and one for the head of Brussels. Canada’s NATO mission ($2.1 million); The government has also made a conditional offer for Canada’s official residence in Bern, Switzerland.
In addition to the $22.7 million total raised from the sale of the seven homes, nine other properties are on the market with a total asking price of $30.8 million.
Details regarding the most controversial potential sale, Canada’s official residence Villa Grandi in Rome, have yet to be announced.
The federal government was accepting bids until Dec. 1, but no asking price was given for the Italian mansion.
Foreign Office spokesman John Babcock said the government was reviewing the outcome of the process.
Some former diplomats and veterans believe the house was purchased with war reparations from Italy and has a symbolic connection to the role Canadian troops played in Italy during World War II. Some people are against the sale for this reason.
Two former Canadian ambassadors to Italy, Robert Fowler and Jeremy Kinsman, strongly oppose the sale. Fowler, who lived in the residence from 2000 to 2006, told MPs that the embassy was “paid for with the blood of 6,000 Canadian soldiers.”
Kinsman, who lived in the official residence from 1996 to 2000, said in an interview Thursday that he generally supports selling the residence and putting ambassadors in cheaper condominiums, but Villa Grandi is an exception. .
“It’s a reflection of the status Canada enjoys because of that campaign,” he said. “Italian Canadians were also very proud of their status and the excellence it brought to Canada.”
Mr Kinsman said the government was presenting a misleading picture of the cost of maintaining the building to justify the sale.
“This is something we didn’t pay for and Canada is making this windfall $30 million or something out of what was a gift to the soldiers from the Italian government…I think it’s really cheap and dishonest. “There’s no sense of history or meaning,” he said.
Diplomatic assets can command high prices, with the John A. Macdonald Embassy building in London sold for $530 million last year.
Peter Sutherland, a former ambassador who led Canadian missions in Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and India, said decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and must consider whether there are still accessible locations where ambassadors can host receptions. He said there is.
“Housing is very useful for hosting official events,” he said. “It can be cost-effective. If you go to a hotel, for example, you have a more institutional environment, but it’s also very expensive. In a residence, you have control over all the elements involved and you can have interesting discussions. It creates a very comfortable atmosphere.”
In addition to Rome, nine other diplomatic facilities are currently up for sale. Located in Atlanta, Bridgetown, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dallas, Denver, Helsinki, Port of Spain, and Stockholm.
Additional homes in Miami have not yet been listed for sale, but the government is looking for a real estate agent.
