Transport Canada clears Toronto’s Sam McBride ferry after weekend dock crash

Transport Canada has cleared Toronto’s Sam McBride ferry to return to service following a comprehensive inspection after Saturday’s ferry crash at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

The City of Toronto says officials will conduct a final series of checks on the ferry beforehand.

City officials say it welcomes the news that a review of the incident will be conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and that an internal investigation is also underway.

Police say the crash happened at around 5 p.m. on Saturday as the boat approached the terminal with more than 900 people on board.

Twelve people sustained minor injuries, and five were taken to hospital for treatment, though none of the injuries were deemed serious.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

Passengers fell like ‘deck of cards’ as Toronto ferry hit dock

A man who was on board a Toronto ferry that crashed on the weekend says passengers standing on the stairs waiting to disembark fell like a “deck of cards” when the vessel hit the dock.

Mandeep Mashiana, who was standing nearby on the ferry, said the impact was enough to knock everyone off the stairs.

“Everyone who was standing on the stairs or over ahead of me were all on the floor,” Mashiana, 35, recalled Monday.

“The force was so big that all the people from the stairs fell like a deck of cards… all of them were gone. They were downstairs.”

Mashiana, who was not injured, said he went down to help those who had fallen.

“I tried to pull a young girl out of the way. And at that time, there was a lot of screaming happening,” he said. Some people were trying to console their children, he added.

Patients are loaded into an ambulance following a crash by a Toronto ferry. CITYNEWS/Rick Helinski

Shortly afterward, ferry staff called out for everyone to stay in place, saying they would get everyone out and get treatment for the injured, he said.

The ferry docked a few minutes later when emergency crews arrived at the terminal, he said. Staff instructed the injured on where to go, he said.

The City of Toronto’s parks department said ferry service to Toronto Island would be reduced for the rest of the summer as a result of the crash.

Those who want to cross to the island are warned to brace for longer than usual wait times for the remainder of the summer.

The city said safety is its top priority, and it has ensured the ferry vessels meet the Transport Canada safety standards and have required certificates.

These include an annual Transport Canada safety and security certificate, which was issued on June 21, and an engine and transmission inspection, most recently issued on August 10, it said.

Wayne Smith, a professor at the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in Toronto, said the crash and the reduced service would likely have a minimal impact on tourism in Toronto and its islands, mainly because the peak summer season is winding down.

“I think it’ll be something they’ll be able to work around, especially when school starts again … because you won’t have the same demand,” he said.

The city should clearly communicate with those who use the ferry service regarding wait times so people know what to expect, Smith said.

“I think if people can pre-book tickets, and they know what, or how long or what time it’s going to be, I think it’ll be something they’ll be able to work around,” he said.

“Really communicate to people: what time the ferry is leaving, what’s going on, that type of thing. That’s the big key,” he said.

“People don’t mind waiting … as long as they know.”