Canada’s Envoy to NYC Summoned to Testify Over $9M Condo Purchase on ‘Billionaires’ Row
Canada’s Consul General in New York City must justify the government’s $9-million purchase of a condo in Manhattan’s renowned “Billionaires’ Row” to a parliamentary committee.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Clark and other officials have been summoned to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates to explain the acquisition of the new unit just south of Central Park. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly will also be called if deemed necessary by the committee.
Conservative MP Kelly Block, who tabled the motion to call Clark and other officials, labeled the condo purchase as “disturbing but not surprising,” citing a “complete lack of spending controls on major procurements” by the Liberal government.
Last week, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) confirmed purchasing a unit in the Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th St. The condo will be used for “networking receptions, official briefings, and hospitality events such as discussions with business and political leaders,” according to GAC spokesperson Jean-Pierre Godbout.
“We agree that $9 million for a New York condo for the Consul General needs to be examined,” said Bloc Quebecois MP Julie Vignola, supporting Block’s motion. “Nine million dollars is a lifetime of work for the average person,” Vignola added.
The committee also requested a third-party assessment of the Manhattan property, if available, and a list of “all properties, including addresses and listing prices, that have been viewed or considered for purchase for the Consulate General’s official residence in New York.”
The current residence for the consul general, located at 550 Park Ave. in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, was last renovated in 1982 and does not meet new building codes or departmental standards. Significant investments would be required to modernize the property, prompting the department to recommend relocating to a “new, smaller, more suitable, and more economical apartment,” said Godbout. This move could save Canadian taxpayers over $2 million and reduce ongoing maintenance and property taxes.
The new 3,600-square-foot residence features three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a “stunning powder room finished in jewel onyx,” according to a listing on the real estate website StreetEasy.
Despite the criticism and expense, former diplomat and current Senator Peter Boehm emphasized the importance of having a Manhattan residence for promoting Canada’s culture and trade.
More than a decade ago, under Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party, the Foreign Affairs department started a program to sell off and downsize properties. The historic Macdonald House at One Grosvenor Square in London, the former residence of Canada’s high commissioner in the U.K., was sold for $530 million, with proceeds helping offset renovations of the high commission’s current location, Canada House at Trafalgar Square. Once upgrades were completed, between $150 million and $200 million were expected to flow back to the central treasury.
