Toronto city council approves $92M spend for two new ferries

On a bright summer day in Toronto, thousands flock to the islands that are just a quick ferry ride away.

But long lineups can make taking that 15 minute ride an hours long ordeal and the city is taking steps to make it quicker and easier for Torontonians and visitors to get some island time.

City council has approved the order of two new electric ferries to replace the aging vehicles currently in use and help speed up service, but it will take two years and comes with a hefty price tag.

The two new ferries are expected to cost $92 million and will arrive in late 2026 and early 2027.

“They’re brand new. Boat building is not something you do easily, you have to be very careful because you’re carrying a thousand passengers. So no corners can be cut,” said Councillor Paula Fletcher.

Before council green lit the purchase, city staff brought forward a report outlining the total life expectancy and life cycle of the proposed ferry vessels including staffing, electricity, parts maintenance and other costs associated with them. 

There were some concerns raised about the costs and timeline, but councillors seemed generally optimistic about the decision.

“It’s a marine vessel — they’re not cheap. This is the number one tourist destination in the city. Not only for people coming from outside of Toronto but for Torontonians and people coming from the 905 … so I think it’s a good investment and it’s also not a polluting vehicle,” said Fletcher.

“This is what staff brought to us. This is our option that we can move forward on. I’d rather make the investment and get those ferries to Canada and into Lake Ontario and ready and available for those of who sometimes even make a decision not to go to the island on a Saturday or Sunday because we know that the lineups are going to be too long,” added Councillor Josh Matlow.

The staff report provided to council indicates the two new vessels would boost the city’s ferry capacity by over 400 passengers per trip for the vessel that carries both people and vehicles and by nearly 1,000 passengers per trip for the vessel that transports people alone.

CityNews spoke to some visitors on Thursday and they were pleased to know something was being done to address the long wait times to get to the islands.

“I think it’s not good for old people and people who are disabled – I felt the wait time was too long… even for children. So the two ferries will be good,” said one island goer.  

“If they’re going to add new ferries that would be really helpful … we waited almost an hour to get to the island,” said another.       

In the meantime, city staff will look into exploring short term solutions to the lengthy ferry wait times including the possibility of leasing ferries to provide additional service.