Canadian architecture and construction firms are on the clock to pitch their visions for the country’s most famous fixer-upper, but the barrier to entry is high.

The federal government has issued its first procurement notice to find a design and build team capable of transforming 24 Sussex Drive from a gutted, uninhabitable shell into a secure, modern residence and workplace for Canada’s future prime ministers.

The Request for Qualification (RFQ), posted in August, opens a rigorous multi-stage selection process. According to procurement documents detailed by CBC News, the government will shortlist seven finalists to advance to a national design competition. The exact timeline for the upcoming Request for Proposal (RFP) phase will launch in the winter of 2027, with the winning proposal and design-build contract expected to be officially announced on Canada Day — July 1, 2027.