We get this question all the time! The rich patina on these pieces comes from decades of natural oxidation while the copper roof covered Canada’s Parliament Buildings for 78 years. Rather than altering this historic material, Under One Roof preserves its authentic character—keeping the same aged copper that has witnessed some of Canada’s most important moments. That means no artificial colouring, just genuine history in every piece. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind connection to Canada’s past!

In the early 1990's Public Works spent $265 million to renovate the Parliament Buildings. After two years clad in scaffolding for repairs, the Center Block on Parliament Hill was finally back in public view, but what to do with the 7,000 kg of the copper that had been on the roof since 1918? On October 7th, 1996 the Hon. Diane Marleau, the Minister of Public Works, announced a project to turn the recently removed south portion of the Centre Block's copper roof into heritage souvenirs. The original roof withstood plenty of wear over the past 78 years and was ready to be replaced. The original brown copper roof turned a pale green colour due to oxidization over time. It's the first time sections of the Parliament Buildings are being used this way, said Louise Proulx, a spokesperson for Public Works.