Ground was broken Thursday for a new $20-million, four-level Government Street location for the growing Volvo Cars Victoria dealership.
The new facility at 2512 Government St., next to GAIN’s Mercedes-Benz dealership, will have two lower levels — one for parking and another for service and parts — with a ground-floor showroom, offices above and rooftop parking.
“I do believe that the Volvo brand, with its focus on safety, reliability, sustainability and a quiet luxury and elegance, fit what we are in Victoria, probably more than in most other places,” said Peter Trzewik, chief operating officer for GAIN Group of Companies.
Volvo Cars Victoria, a division of GAIN Group, is expected to continue growing so that in two years, when the new facility opens, it will be performing similarly to the BMW and Audi divisions, he said.
GAIN bought the Volvo dealership about five years ago, Trzewik said. Since then, staff numbers have climbed to more than 30 from fewer than 10.
“All of them know more than they did four or five years ago and they will know more in two years when we are ready to open this facility.”
The dealership’s team has become stronger as GAIN focuses on retaining and training employees, and on promoting from within, Trzewik said.
GAIN has a total of 650 employees on Vancouver Island and in a few locations on the Lower Mainland, up from 26 in 1996, said Trzewik, who called them good, full-time jobs, saying the company does not like turnover. Employees can start in entry-level positions and move up within the company, he said.
The Volvo dealership is currently at 1101 Cook St. but is leaving that site because an extended lease could not be arranged during the construction period, Trzewik said. The dealership will temporarily move back into its former home on the corner of Hillside Avenue and Douglas Street until the new facility is finished. The short-term move is expected to take place this month or early in December.
Construction of the new facility on Government will involve environmentally friendly materials, Trzewik said.
“Most of our dealerships now have a goal that within a few years we need to be CO2 neutral and Volvo will be on the forefront.”
Matt Girgis, managing director at Volvo Car of Canada, said the company appreciates GAIN’s investment in the new building. “It gives us a lot of energy when we see new facilities being built.”
Girgis said Volvo is on a journey to electrification, with four new fully electric vehicles and a range of plug-in hybrid vehicles as well.
In Victoria, 75 per cent of Volvo sales are for fully electric or hybrid vehicles, putting it in the top spot among Volvo dealerships in Canada, he said.
“That’s really a testament to how much our brand and our products are resonating with the consumers here,” as the dealership grows, Girgis said.
The GAIN Group represents a wide range of car brands: Alfa Romeo, AMG, Audi, BMW, Fiat, Lotus, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Porsche, Ruf, Subaru, Volvo and Volkswagen.
It also has the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit, Coachwerks — a high-end vehicle-restoration service — Villa Eyrie Resort and the Cowichan River Lodge.
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