Stornoway

Stornoway is an official residence built in Colonial Revival style on Acacia Avenue in Rockcliffe Park, a quiet district of Ottawa. The house contains nineteen rooms and sits on a lot of roughly one acre with mature trees and maintained lawns.

The architect Alan Keefer designed the building in 1914 for a grocer from Ottawa. It later became home to several political figures and received federal heritage status in 1986.

The name recalls an island town in Scotland and reflects the heritage of a family that once owned the house. Today the residence serves as home to the leader of the opposition in the Canadian Parliament and their family.

The property sits in a residential area and cannot be visited, as it functions as a private home. The front facade and part of the garden can be seen from the sidewalk.

During the Second World War, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands lived here in exile with her children. Her daughter Margriet was born in Ottawa during their stay, and the birthing room was declared neutral territory for the occasion.

Location: Ottawa

Inception: 1914

Official opening: 1914

Architectural style: Colonial Revival architecture

Part of: Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District

Address: 541 Acacia Avenue

GPS coordinates: 45.45278,-75.67861

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:24