Hamilton green-lights Tesla takeover of vacant CF Lime Ridge Mall space

Hamilton will officially be home to Tesla’s largest Canadian retail and service location.

The city’s adjustment committee voted unanimously on Thursday in favour of a by-law variance, allowing for a 60,000-square-foot Tesla Centre at CF Lime Ridge Mall, in the space previously occupied by The Bay’s Home Outfitters.

Tesla had already signed a non-binding letter of intent with Cadillac Fairview, Lime Ridge Mall’s parent company.

Tesla Canada’s Sr. Real Estate Manager, Kyle Mazzone, sent a letter to Michael Peiser, Cadillac Fairview’s Senior Director of Development, on Dec. 2, 2022, stating that the company was willing to invest in Hamilton, but that it required the variance sooner rather than later.

“Time is of the essence, which is why CF Lime Ridge is strategically positioned, given that it already has ‘Motor Vehicle Show Room as a permitted use,” added Mazzon. “As we will be servicing and repairing electric vehicles, in addition to the sale of electric vehicles, we want to ensure that this is a permitted use.”

“The timing of the minor variance will be a major deciding factor of Tesla investment in Hamilton.”

The famous Hamilton Mountain mall is already home to a 20-stall Supercharger on its west side — opposite the impending Tesla Centre. The nearest existing centre is in Oakville.

According to Tesla, the new centre will employ 50 people and operate Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In his letter, Mazzone wrote that the centre will offer standard Tesla service work.

The service work at this location will be standard servicing of electric vehicles, including software updates, tire replacement, tire balancing, alignment, paint-less bolt on panel replacement and/or dent removal (only replacing doors or the rear hatch, no typical body work or painting will be performed), topping off of water and/or refrigerant to cool the battery, and an occasional battery replacement. Our batteries are completely enclosed and don’t give off any chemical vapors. When replaced, there are four points to uncouple the battery from the vehicle and then it is sent to one of our Remanufacturing locations for refurbishment.

Lime Ridge Mall was already zoned for a vehicle showroom, but a variance was still required due to the potentially hazardous materials associated with motor vehicles. However, because Tesla’s vehicles run on electricity, Mazzone wrote that many of those hazards are negligible.

Tesla produces electric vehicles that solely use electricity and no gasoline. Tesla vehicles do not have internal combustion engines, thus vehicles do not have fuel tanks, use oil, exhaust systems, transmission or many of the other components that require the storage and use of hazardous materials on site or traditional vehicle

Tesla is also opening a 34-square-foot Sales, Service, and Delivery Center in Etobicoke.