Tesla could soon be opening their largest retail and service location in Canada. The automaker is working towards opening a 60,000 square foot Sales and Service Center at the CF Lime Ridge Mall in Hamilton, Ontario.
If all goes according to plan Tesla will be taking over the former Home Outfitters/Bay Home store on the east side of the mall. The automaker plans to have a showroom and service area, where some basic service service work including “software updates, tire replacement, tire balancing, alignment, paint-less bolt on panel replacement and/or dent removal, topping off of water and/or refrigerant to cool the battery, and the occasional battery replacement,” will take place at the site, according to a letter from Tesla Canada’s Sr. Real Estate Manager Kyle Mazzone on December 2, 2022 to Cadillac Fairview’s Senior Director, Development Michael Peiser. (included at the bottom of this article)
That same letter says Tesla has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Cadillac Fairview to occupy the space, but it appears as though the final piece of the puzzle before it becomes official is obtaining a minor variance permit to allow them display vehicles, according to Joey Coleman (@JoeyColeman), who first uncovered the documents.
Mazzone ends his letter stressing the importance of obtaining this approval quickly and that it “will be a major deciding factor of Tesla investment in Hamilton,” making it appear as though at the beginning of December that approval had yet to come.
Based on a review of the City of Hamilton website there is no agenda posted yet for the next council meeting on January 25, 2023, or any subsequent council meetings so it is unclear when this variance will be considered for approval.
UPDATE Jan 18 9:05am PT: The minor variance will be considered at the Committee of Adjustment meeting on February 2, 2023.
UPDATE Feb 3 12:35pm PT: With a unanimous vote the City of Hamilton approved the minor variance permit, all but guaranteeing Tesla will be opening Canada’s largest service center at CF Lime Ridge.
If approved the Hamilton Sales and Service Center will be open seven days a week and is expected to create about 50 jobs. There is also a 20 stall Supercharger on the other side of the mall. The nearest existing Service Center is about 35 minutes away in Oakville, where Canada’s first Collision Center is also located.
This is the second new Service Center for Ontario that we have told you about recently. Last week we reported that Tesla is taking over the former Evans Ford dealership and opening a 34,000 square foot Sales, Service, and Delivery Center in Etobicoke.
Here is the full letter from Tesla Canada’s Sr. Real Estate Manager Kyle Mazzone.
