A Toronto councillor wants to drive Tesla out of town. But the city says it hasn't broken any bylaws
CBC
Toronto's deputy mayor says he wants to drive Elon Musk's electric vehicle company Tesla out of town because of the tech mogul's affiliation with U.S. President Donald Trump, who's taken aim at Canada with a spate of recent tariff announcements.
Mike Colle has written to the real estate management firm Oxford Properties, which owns Yorkdale Shopping Centre, asking them to cancel the lease of the mall's Tesla dealership.
The mall is located in Colle's Eglinton-Lawrence ward and although his letter, sent Tuesday, is aimed at the Yorkdale Tesla dealership specifically, the councillor says he'd like to see the company forced out of Toronto altogether.
"People are really angry with anything to do with Tesla and they're also letting me know they're not happy with the fact that there's a Tesla retail outlet in my ward," Colle told CBC Toronto.
"I'm cordially asking the owners of Yorkdale Plaza, would you please consider terminating their lease or asking them to leave."
CBC Toronto has not seen Colle's letter. The councillor declined to share a copy before receiving a response from Oxford.
It's unclear when Tesla's lease at the mall expires and on what specific grounds Colle has asked that it be terminated.
Colle has also not brought the idea a city-wide push against Tesla to Toronto city council, saying there's little the city could do to force the company out.
Instead, he refers to his letter as "a polite, aggressive ask."
Colle said he sent his letter to Oxford on the same day council approved a motion by Mayor Olivia Chow disqualifying future Tesla drivers from the city's Zero Emissions Grant program for vehicles-for-hire.
When asked earlier this week whether she was targeting Tesla because it is owned by Musk rather than other American companies that make electric vehicles, Chow said: "You can draw whatever conclusion you want."
CBC Toronto asked Chow for comment on Colle's letter. The mayor did not respond.
Tesla and its Canadian offices have so far not been returned did not respond to calls or emails from CBC Toronto.
Oxford Properties has also not yet responded to requests for comment.
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