High Commission of the United Kingdom, Ottawa

The British High Commission in Ottawa, Ontario, is the main diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom in Canada. It is located at 80 Elgin Street in downtown Ottawa, across the street from the National Arts Centre and not far from Parliament Hill.

British High Commission in Ottawa
The High Commission building in Ottawa
Location	140 Sussex Drive Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	45.437050°N 75.698707°W / 45.437050; -75.698707
High Commissioner	Susannah Goshko
Website	British High Commission, Ottawa

History

The current building was opened in 1964 and designed by Eric Bedford. Previously the site had been home to the Union Hotel, founded in the 1850s but demolished in 1962.

The High Commissioner's position was created in 1928 after the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and was the first such posting for Britain. The present High Commissioner is Susannah Goshko. The UK has Consulates-General in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver. It has Honorary Consuls in St. John's, Halifax, Quebec City, and Winnipeg. The High Commission also represents the British Overseas Territories in Canada.

The High Commissioner resides at Earnscliffe, a mansion on the Ottawa River.

In 2019, the UK Government announced a new building would be constructed for the High Commission, on property next to Earnscliffe. The new building opened 04 September 2024.^[1]. The former High commission building at 80 Elgin Street, was purchased by the National Capital Commission and is now under renovation.^[2].

See also

• Canada–United Kingdom relations
• Diplomatic missions in Canada
• List of high commissioners of the United Kingdom to Canada

External links

• UK and Canada

References

1. "Here's a look inside Ottawa's newest diplomatic building". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
2. "Workplace Modernization at 80 Elgin Street". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-10-09.