North America’s largest Tesla centre coming to Vancouver

EV enthusiasts, rejoice: electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has announced that it will build its largest service facility in North America in Vancouver.

The building will be constructed in the city’s Strathcona district, at 950 Raymur Avenue: a 1.6-acre brownfield development lot immediately east of Strathcona Park, which is currently vacant. The state-of-the-art complex will occupy more than 120,000 square feet, and will deal with servicing, vehicle preparation, and delivery operations, as well as operating a showroom. Construction is set to begin early next year and is slated for completion in 2026.

In many ways, Tesla’s decision of where to build its largest service facility on the continent is a no-brainer. The city already has some of North America’s highest rates of battery-electric vehicle adoption, and the Metro Vancouver region — specifically Surrey — has a long-standing expertise in developing the tech. Tesla itself is popular among Vancouver drivers, with more than 30,000 vehicles registered within the Lower Mainland.

The province, too, has a solid track record in EV adoption. According to the B.C. government, this year electric vehicles made up 21 percent of all registrations in the province, up from 18 percent in 2022. In 2016, there were only 5,000 light-duty electric vehicles in B.C., compared to over 100,000 today — the highest number for any province or territory in Canada. The B.C. government has a legislated target to reach 100 percent zero-emission sales for new light-duty passenger vehicles by 2035.

Vancouver-based developer, real estate, and property management company Beedie will be leading the construction of the facility.

“We have often collaborated with innovative companies on unique, built-to-suit projects and we look forward to working closely with Tesla and the local community in the coming years,” Ryan Beedie, the company’s president, said in a statement. “At Beedie, we are committed to building legacies for our vibrant communities, so the opportunity to support the transition to electric vehicles through this partnership with Tesla is exciting.”

The car manufacturer’s decision to pick Vancouver follows in the footsteps of competitor Rivian, which also chose the city as its Canadian base. Rivian began rolling out deliveries of its flagship vehicles in November last year, and has also invested in pop-up showrooms in various locations across Vancouver.

Tesla also has a partnership with Bosa Properties to build a new purpose-built delivery and service centre at a vacant 7.5-acre site at 1032 Nicola Avenue in Port Coquitlam. It will be a 60,000 square foot facility, with vehicle parking capacity for about 650 stalls.

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