Connaught Building

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The Connaught Building
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The Connaught Building

The Connaught Building is a historic office building in Ottawa, Canada. It is located on Sussex Drive just to the north of the Chateau Laurier and south of the American embassy. To the east the building looks out on the Byward Market and to the west is Majors Hill Park.

By the early twentieth century the Parliament Buildings were running out of space to house Canada's civil service. The Tudor-Gothic structure was designed by chief architect David Ewart who did the similarly styled Victoria Memorial Building and Royal Canadian Mint. Work began on the building in 1913, but the First World War and other problems intervened, greatly slowing construction. The building was completed in 1916 and first housed the customs department. The building was named after the Duke of Connaught, then Governor General. Today it houses the headquarters the Canada Revenue Agency.