Pierre Poilievre’s access to the official residence of the leader of the Opposition is now in question, according to some observers, after he lost his seat in Monday’s election.

Mr. Poilievre is still Leader of the Conservative Party, even though he was defeated by a Liberal challenger in his Ottawa-area riding. But because he no longer holds a seat in Parliament, he will not be able to lead the party inside the House of Commons.

This technical distinction makes it unclear whether Mr. Poilievre is still entitled to live in Stornoway, a 19-room home in Ottawa’s Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood that has been provided to opposition leaders since 1950, and where he began living with his family after he won the party’s leadership in 2022.

The crux of the issue is the Official Residences Act, a piece of federal legislation that governs Stornoway and other official properties, including the Prime Minister’s residence. The act notes that Stornoway is to be provided for the person holding the position of “Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.”

What that means for Mr. Poilievre’s living situation may be a matter of interpretation.

Political scientist Philippe Lagassé, whose current research examines executive power and legislative-executive relations in Westminster states, said the answer to whether Mr. Poilievre can stay in Stornoway relies more on convention than rules.

He referred to the 2017 third edition of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, a guide on rules and practices governing House operations.

The guide says that if the leader of the party designated as the Official Opposition leader holds a seat as a member of the House, he or she automatically becomes Leader of the Opposition.

But the text also notes, that “If that party leader does not have a seat in the House, the caucus of the Official Opposition may designate another of its members to act as Opposition Leader.”

The Carleton University professor said someone other than Mr. Poilievre is going to be fulfilling the parliamentary roles of the opposition leader for a while.

“And then it becomes a matter, really, of does that person move into Stornoway or does the Conservative Party ask that Poilievre be allowed to remain there, pending a by-election,” he said.

Mr. Lagassé said the residence issue involves other concerns Mr. Poilievre and the Conservative caucus are facing, such as what happens given that Mr. Poilievre has stated that he intends to stay as party leader, and whether he can find a Conservative MP to resign, facilitating a by-election in which he could win a new seat.

He said Mr. Poilievre may end up staying in the residence if a by-election is quickly called in a riding where voters consistently vote for Conservatives.

“If, on the other hand, the Prime Minister decides, `Why should I give too much advantage to this guy?’ and the by-election is delayed, and it’s uncertain when it’s going to be held, it can go on for months, then, at that point, you might say, `Look. The leader named by the caucus should probably move into the residence until such time as he comes back.’”

University of Toronto political scientist Nelson Wiseman said the Conservative opposition will have to decide what to do.

“Although Poilievre won’t be sitting as an MP, there will be an interim leader of the party in the House of Commons, whether he is formally the interim leader of the Conservative Party or not,” Mr. Wiseman said in an interview.

“In my opinion, it will be completely, or it should be, between that person and the leader of the party. Poilievre has been living there and still is living there. I suspect that’s what’s going to continue.”

Stornoway was built in 1913, and eventually offered, in 1941, as a residence for Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her family as they took shelter in Canada during the Second World War.

Following the war, the home came to be used as a residence for the opposition leader, with Conservative leader George Drew and his family being the first occupants in 1950. The National Capital Commission has managed it since 1988.

The NCC, which maintains the six official residences in the Ottawa area, declined to comment on the question of Mr. Poilievre’s access to Stornoway, with a spokesperson referring questions to the Privy Council Office.

A spokesperson for the Privy Council Office, which provides non-partisan support to the government, said the federal Conservatives will have to figure out what to do.

“An official residence is made available to the Leader of the Official Opposition, and Mr. Poilievre is the current Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada,” Daniel Savoie said in a statement.

“Any questions on how the Conservative Party will manage its leadership in the House of Commons in the future, and therefore who will reside at the official residence, should be directed to the Conservative Party.”

Mr. Poilievre’s office did not respond to questions seeking comment on the matter.