There were so many dead mice in the cracked and damaged basement walls of the official residence of the Canadian Prime Minister that the authorities decided to close the old and shabby building last year due to fears that the air in the mansion had become dangerous to breathe, reports The Guardian.

As a symbol, the limestone-clad house at 24 Sussex Drive, perched on a bluff above the Ottawa River, is one of the most important and politically charged places in the country.

However, the National Heritage Commission (NCC), which preserves Ottawa’s historic buildings, closed the residence last year after estimating the cost of renovations and upgrades at nearly C$40 million (US$29.7 million).

Documents obtained by the National Post show how decades of neglect have left the prime minister’s official residence plagued with mould, cracked windows, faulty plumbing and an electrical system deemed a serious fire hazard.

The documents also highlighted the problem of mice in the building, which was giving NKS additional headaches.

“There is a significant rodent infestation that cannot be fully addressed until the fencing issues are resolved,” the internal documents, which date back to June, said.

Danger in the walls

In addition, the interior walls of the building contain hazardous asbestos and cannot be removed until a rehabilitation plan is developed.

“In the meantime, we are using bait to control the situation, but this leaves us with excrement and corpses between the walls, in the attic and in the basements,” the document said.

Rotting mouse carcasses and droppings led to “real air quality issues” at the residence.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent years in the house as a child when his father was prime minister, but after taking office in 2015 he said he would never return.

The sprawling property has no tenants, but the manicured grounds are often used for garden parties.

And the pool and sauna in the building, installed in 1975 at the request of Justin Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau, “are still used very often.”

One step away from “destructive consequences”

The documents also highlighted long-standing concerns about asbestos and the breakdown of electrical cable insulation.

“There is a serious risk associated with the electrical systems, so we consider the building to be a fire hazard,” the report said, citing an electrical incident in the summer that could have had “devastating and irreparable consequences” for the building.

In addition, additional documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen show that despite being unoccupied, the residence is racking up expensive utility bills.

The building’s electricity bill in January was almost C$5,000, plus C$3,153 for gas and C$568 for water.

Canadians blame “political cowardice”

A recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute found that a majority of Canadians support investment in the prime minister’s residence and blamed the lack of action on “political cowardice.”

NCC plans to begin asbestos and mold removal in the spring, but despite the building’s severe inefficiencies, no official decision has been made on its future. (news.ro)