[CityPainter]

Maybe this is old news to some, but it's new to me, via the Waterfront Toronto website. Fares and schedules still TBD, but I love the idea.

"Launching in June 2026, the East-West Water Shuttle Pilot provides a new way to move across Toronto’s Inner Harbour"

 

[Tuscani01]

They should add an extra stop at Sugar Beach to make this more useful for people living in that area as well.

 

[crs1026]

So many cities on water have similar shuttles, let's hope this one does well. Lots of room to add further stops especially once development happens in the east harbour.

- Paul

 

[Civdis]

I love this idea. Any guesses on frequency and fares?

 

[nfitz]

They should add an extra stop at Sugar Beach to make this more useful for people living in that area as well.

It's a pilot, so keep it simple and minimize infrastructure.

The east bit of Wards Island would also be a significant location too.

 

[robmausser]

Just an FYI this is a pilot and there are plans for more service/stops if it proves successful.

I'd actually like to see a route from the Portlands to the Island. Sometimes im in the Portlands and want to go to the Island and realize what a trek it is to get downtown when you're literally next to Wards.

 

[Bordercollie]

I'm surprised that they hired a private company to do this.

I wonder if the ferry operators union approved this? It takes away from their role in operating the Ferry service.

 

[DSCToronto]

I'm surprised that they hired a private company to do this.

I wonder if the ferry operators union approved this? It takes away from their role in operating the Ferry service.

I would say here is a huge difference between a few large ferries bringing people to the islands on fairly short trips into larger docking areas to a fleet of smaller and faster 'water taxis' with far more (smaller) 'ports' to serve. Sort of like TTC vs GO - both have their roles.

 

[Towered]

Expand this to Humber Bay...

 

[Mihairokov]

I'd actually like to see a route from the Portlands to the Island. Sometimes im in the Portlands and want to go to the Island and realize what a trek it is to get downtown when you're literally next to Wards.

Seems like a miss to not have a short route b/w Ookwemin and Ward's. Wonder if it's a dock capacity issue at the latter.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

What a ridiculous waste of money I hope it's a failure and makes Waterfront Toronto look really bad.

 

[Dan416]

Vancouver has the SeaBus? Why can't we have this?

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Vancouver has the SeaBus? Why can't we have this?

It serves a purpose there, but this just doesn't if you look at it. The only thing it serves is that new park in the middle of nowhere in an area of the city under construction, the one by the airport can be walked to or take the streetcar or a cab. There is no need for this waste of money from Waterfront Toronto, and it will fail, as nobody is going to use it at all.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Seems like a miss to not have a short route b/w Ookwemin and Ward's. Wonder if it's a dock capacity issue at the latter.

The whole thing is a big miss as it doesn't serve anything at all.

 

[McGillicuddy]

Vancouver has the SeaBus? Why can't we have this?

The SeaBus connects the downtown core of Vancouver to a dense suburb along a route which is significantly shorter than the best road connection.

This is also why the Dartmouth Ferries work in Halifax, why the Thames ferries work in London, why the river ferries work in Manhattan, etc. These routes cross bodies of water in ways that significantly shorten journeys geographically.

In Toronto, the only commute distance where you really get this advantage is between Ookwemin Minising and downtown. The Islands aren't a commuter destination, and any other route would take you laterally along the shortline, rather than across a body of water. (Meaning you aren't saving any geographic distance, and the ferry therefore ends up being slower and more expensive than a land-based service.)