Tesla to build a flagship delivery and service centre in Metro Vancouver

Artistic rendering of the Tesla facility at 1032 Nicola Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (Christopher Boyzyk Architects/Bosa Properties/Tesla)

A significant Tesla delivery and service centre will be built in Port Coquitlam to help meet Metro Vancouver’s high rate of uptake and demand for the company’s battery-electric vehicles.

On behalf of the multinational company, Bosa Properties has submitted an application to rezone a 7.5-acre site at 1032 Nicola Avenue to enable the development of the Tesla facility.

The vacant property in the Dominion Triangle area is wedged by Costco to the west, Home Depot to the north, Canadian Tire to the east, and Lougheed Highway to the south.

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Most Tesla facilities in the region repurpose existing structures, but this will be a brand new purpose-built facility for the company’s operations. It is designed by Vancouver-based Christopher Boyzyk Architects, which has prior experience with car dealerships and other commercial and light industrial projects.

In a letter to the City of Port Coquitlam, Bosa development manager Jordan Grubner says this will be a “flagship delivery and service centre for the Lower Mainland.”

The Tesla building will have a floor area of about 60,000 sq ft, supported by a vehicle parking capacity of approximately 650 stalls. Its operations include sales, service, regional storage, and a distribution centre for vehicles and parts.

tesla deliery service centre 1032 nicola avenue port coquitlam

Artistic rendering of the Tesla facility at 1032 Nicola Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (Christopher Boyzyk Architects/Bosa Properties/Tesla)

Grubner states this facility will serve as the primary location for delivering Tesla vehicles in the Lower Mainland, with 75% or more of the vehicles shipped to the region from the United States and China routed through this facility.

Tesla estimates the facility will deliver about 40 vehicles per day on average, and about 50 cars will also be repaired on site daily. This takes into account the growing popoulation of Tesla vehicles in the region.

ICBC’s latest statistics indicate there were 45,560 Tesla model vehicles registered in BC in 2022, including 38,073 within the Lower Mainland, with 9,044 in Vancouver, 7,396 in Surrey, 4,423 in Richmond, 2,792 in Burnaby, 2,102 in North Vancouver, 1,869 in Coquitlam, 1,813 in Langley, 1,385 in West Vancouver, 1,366 in Delta, 1,308 in Abbotsford, 831 in Maple Ridge, and 639 in Port Coquitlam.

Compared to 2021, this is up from 31,414 Tesla model vehicles across BC, 26,739 from within the Lower Mainland, and 6,772 from within Vancouver.

Just five years ago in 2018, there were only 5,015 Tesla model vehicles in BC, including 4,319 in the Lower Mainland, with 1,578 in Vancouver.

Overall, BC also has some of the highest battery-electric vehicle adoption rates in North America. Provincial government statistics indicate 18.1% of all new light-duty vehicle sales in BC in 2022 were zero-emission models, which are overwhelmingly battery-electric vehicles. This is up from 0.8% in 2015, and the legislated target is to reach 100% by 2035.

Layout of the Tesla facility at 1032 Nicola Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (Christopher Boyzyk Architects/Bosa Properties/Tesla)

This Port Coquitlam facility will be the primary repair location for Tesla vehicles in the Lower Mainland, with nearly half of the service operations conducted directly at customers homes through a mobile service. This will help reduce vehicle congestion at the facility.

“The proposed land use change is in keeping with economic policy to support business and generate employment opportunities in the community,” reads a City staff report. “The Tesla facility will also generate significantly less vehicle trips than a typical highway-oriented commercial land use reducing potential impacts to the transportation network. Access to both sites has been carefully assessed and designed to provide safe entry and exiting.”

Grubner adds that Tesla’s facility will generate about 80 high-paying jobs, with hourly technician wages ranging between $35 and $42, and managerial positions with salaries ranging between $100,000 and $140,000 annually.

During Tuesday evening’s public meeting when Port Coquitlam City Council made its initial review of the application, the vast majority of City Council indicated their support for the project — and some even made comments in glowing terms.

“I’m strongly in favour of this. I think this is a great use of the property… I think the best thing is good paying jobs,” said councillor Glen Pollock.

He says he is hearing people say, “Great, I won’t need to drive in Vancouver to get my Tesla fixed.”

Tesla currently has two delivery centres in Metro Vancouver within existing industrial buildings, located at 901 Great Northern Way in Vancouver’s False Creek Flats and 19486 60 Avenue in Cloverdale in Surrey. The Great Northern Way location is eyed for a mixed-use commercial redevelopment.

Existing Tesla service centres are found at 1712 Powell Street in Vancouver’s Grandview-Woodland area and 19505 Langley Bypass in Surrey.

Site of the Tesla facility at 1032 Nicola Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (Google Maps)

Site of the Tesla facility at 1032 Nicola Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (City of Port Coquitlam)

Site of the Tesla facility at 1032 Nicola Avenue, Port Coquitlam. (Google Maps)

Only councillor Nancy McCurrach voted and spoke against the Port Coquitlam Tesla facility.

McCurrach, who called herself the designate for the environment, says she is opposed to the project on the basis that it is situated on agricultural lands.

“Right now, I am concerned… When you take agricultural land away, you can’t get it back,” she said, adding that more greenery to the design would be desirable.

While the site has historic agricultural zoning, it is unclear if it is still suitable for traditional agricultural uses. It is surrounded by heavy industrial uses to the south, and significant commercial retail and light industrial uses to the west, north, and east.

As well, the site was previously preloaded by the previous landowner. Bosa recently began the process of removing the preload to prepare the site for the development.

Bosa’s application also calls for the development of a vacant small site at 1021 Nicola Avenue — immediately to the north, closest to Home Depot — into a 11,000 sq ft building with retail/restaurant uses and 36 surface vehicle parking stalls.

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