Canadian Tire Georgetown LED Retrofit Case Study
A 12-Year Partnership Built on Reliability, Savings, and Consistent Light Quality.
Canadian Tire Georgetown is an 80,000-square-foot retail store serving thousands of customers every week. In 2012, owner Tom Kase began exploring ways to improve store lighting, reduce maintenance, and control rising energy costs. That search led him to Think Green Solutions and the beginning of a long-term partnership that continues today.
Overview
Canadian Tire Georgetown is an 80,000-square-foot retail store serving thousands of customers every week. In 2012, owner Tom Kase began exploring ways to improve store lighting, reduce maintenance, and control rising energy costs. That search led him to Think Green Solutions and the beginning of a long-term partnership that continues today. Across three retrofit phases in 2012, 2015, and 2025, Think Green Solutions delivered LED lighting systems that operated for more than a decade with virtually no maintenance. The upgrades resulted in a noticeably brighter retail floor, improved employee comfort, and more than $670,000 in verified savings through reduced electricity and maintenance costs.
The Challenge
Before partnering with Think Green Solutions, the store faced several performance and operational issues: increasing electricity costs, frequent fluorescent tube failures, uneven illumination on the retail floor, and dull lighting that made key departments appear tired. The store’s maintenance team was spending significant time replacing bulbs at height and addressing ongoing outages.
As a business owner with more than 40 years of experience, Tom Kase wanted a lighting solution that delivered tangible business value. His priorities were: clear light output, reliability, strong financial returns, and a solution that improved his customers’ shopping experience. Any new system needed to reduce operational headaches while supporting a more modern, inviting store environment.
Canadian Tire Georgetown's LED Retrofit Story, 2012 to 2025
The Solution
Phase 1
2012
A complete LED retrofit for the warehouse, automotive department, and exterior fixtures. The upgrade delivered a 2.7-year payback and operated without major issues for nearly 10 years. This first phase proved the reliability of Think Green’s systems and set the foundation for future improvements.
Phase 2
2015
A full retail-floor retrofit that replaced every fluorescent tube with high-efficiency LED lamps. The $80,000 investment paid back in only 2.2 years and provided consistent, bright illumination across the entire floor. The lamps operated for more than 9 years with almost no maintenance, validating the system's long-term value.
Phase 3
2025
A complete store refresh using the newest generation of LED technology. Warehouse areas received new fixtures with lighting controls for additional savings. Despite industry-wide supply chain delays, Tom chose to wait for Think Green Solutions because of the proven reliability of earlier installations and his preference for consistent light quality across the store.
Results
Think Green's energy consumption chart for the store, shown in the customer testimonial video, tracks monthly electricity use from September 2008 to May 2016. Average monthly use fell from 71,322 kWh before Phase 1 to 60,371 kWh after Phase 1, then to 42,623 kWh after Phase 2: an overall average reduction of 40.24%.
The same video puts the monthly lighting cost at $7,280 with T8 lighting and $3,571 with Think Green lighting, for $3,709 in monthly savings.
Long-Term Performance with Almost No Maintenance
The lighting system ran for nearly a decade without replacements or repairs. Staff reported not changing a single bulb in more than ten years. Maintenance costs related to scissor lift rentals, aisle closures, and labour were effectively eliminated, freeing employees to focus on customer-facing tasks instead of routine lighting issues.
More Than $670,000 in Energy Savings
Across the 2012 and 2015 projects, the store achieved more than $670,000 in electricity savings, as verified by utility data. As Tom puts it, “over the lifespan of those two projects, the saving was $670,000, which is significant for me and the store.”
A Better Customer Experience
Shoppers frequently comment that Georgetown is one of the best-lit Canadian Tire locations in the region. The bright, even light improves product visibility and encourages customers to explore more of the store. Even lighting suppliers and industry professionals have noted the lighting's natural colour quality and consistency throughout the aisles.
Higher Staff Comfort and Productivity
Employees experienced fewer headaches, less eye strain, and better focus during long shifts. Staff found it easier to read product labels, handle small parts, and complete inventory tasks thanks to clear and consistent illumination. Better lighting contributed directly to smoother daily operations.
Operational Benefits
Improved visibility strengthened loss-prevention efforts and helped staff monitor aisles more effectively. All retrofit phases were completed with minimal disruption to store operations, with most of the work performed overnight to avoid blocking customer access or slowing sales.
Why Canadian Tire Stayed with Think Green Solutions
When supply delays occurred during the 2025 upgrade, Tom chose to wait for Think Green Solutions rather than settle for an alternative product. The decision reflected more than a decade of reliable performance, strong financial returns, and consistent support. In 2024, the store expanded by 22,000 square feet. Instead of using corporate standard lighting specifications, Tom requested Think Green Solutions again to maintain the same light quality his customers and staff had come to expect.
What Staff and Shoppers Say About the Lighting
A Great Investment
Client Testimonial
As a businessman today, I look for good investments, and I believe the Think product is a great investment and will serve well anybody who's using it.
Owner, Canadian Tire Georgetown
Inside Canadian Tire Georgetown
Across three phases in 2012, 2015 and 2025, Think Green Solutions upgraded the store's warehouse, automotive department, exterior fixtures and retail floor to LED.
““Over the lifespan of those two projects, the saving was $670,000, which is significant for me and the store.””
““Over the lifespan of those two projects, the saving was $670,000, which is significant for me and the store.””
Summary
Over twelve years, Think Green Solutions helped Canadian Tire Georgetown achieve these results. This long-term partnership demonstrates how reliable lighting and a committed provider can deliver measurable value, year after year, for both retail operations and the people who keep them running.
Think Green Solutions has completed over $75M in retrofit projects, and its longest-running projects are more than 16 years old with a failure rate under 5%. To find out what an upgrade could save at your store, book a free lighting energy audit or explore our LED retrofit projects and solutions.
More Than $670,000 in Energy Savings
Across the 2012 and 2015 projects, as verified by utility data.
Up to Twelve Years of Continuous Operation
With almost no maintenance.
A Brighter, Modern Retail Environment
Shoppers frequently comment that Georgetown is one of the best-lit Canadian Tire locations in the region.
Improved Employee Comfort and Productivity
Fewer headaches, less eye strain and better focus during long shifts.
Efficiency and Loss-Prevention Visibility
Improved visibility helps staff monitor aisles more effectively.
