Ferries review to strengthen operations amid historic revitalization work

The City of Toronto’s ferry service is one of the busiest in Canada, and staff continue to modernize and enhance this vital service that propels tourism, supports vibrancy along the downtown waterfront and carries residents and visitors to and from Toronto Island Park.  

To support this work, a staff report that highlights opportunities to strengthen ferry services will be considered by Executive Committee on Wednesday, March 19, and by Toronto City Council at the end of the month. The report is based on recommendations from a City-commissioned third-party study. 

In the fall, City Council directed staff to undertake a third-party operational review of its ferry system to assess its readiness for upcoming infrastructure and vessel modernization and make recommendations to address other potential opportunities.  

The City enlisted respected maritime transportation professionals, Greenline Marine Inc., to lead the review, which resulted in seven recommendations including: 

• building a comprehensive asset management plan 

• continuing work on a robust Safety Management System to align with upcoming federal requirements 

• establishing a marine chain of command for the Marine Operations Unit to inform its position in the City’s organizational structure  

• focusing on development of a long-term vision for the ferry system 

• establishing a forum for regular feedback from stakeholders 

• developing a comprehensive communications plan to inform the public about the progress being made on and importance of ferry services 

• enhancing crew recruitment and retention strategies and efforts.  

The City is fully committed to enhancing its ferry operations and is already acting on all recommendations. 

Toronto’s ferry system 

Toronto’s ferry system is critical and complex. Greenline Marine Inc. found the City operates a consistent and safe service that aligns with all regulatory requirements, while noting there are opportunities to better align with Canada’s evolving ferry service landscape. 

In the spirit of that evolution, this year the City will be shifting ferry management from its Parks and Recreation division to the Fleet Services division, based on their expertise in the areas recommended in the review. 

These actions coincide with critical ongoing work and significant investments being made by the City such as integrating new federal safety regulations, customer service improvements at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and planned infrastructure upgrades to welcome two state-of-the-art electric ferries beginning in 2026. 

As one of the busiest ferry services in Canada, the City is making an exciting and historic investment in its future, creating an enhanced passenger experience for Toronto residents and visitors. The new experience, which will roll out through continued improvements over the next decade, will improve speed, capacity and amenities while also benefiting the City’s environmental goals. 

Additional information:  

• During peak summer weekends, Toronto’s ferry service grows to the third largest by passenger volume in Canada. On busy summer days, approximately 18,000 passengers are served. 

• In 2024, Toronto’s ferry service carried more than 1.4 million passengers. In 2023, that number was approximately 1.5 million passengers. 

• This review of ferry operations, management and planning was requested by Toronto City Council in 2024 as part of the broader City strategy to revitalize the ferries and associated infrastructure. 

• The City will be advancing work under the Shoreside Infrastructure Plan in 2025 to modernize the docks and ferry terminal, and prepare for the addition of the electric ferries. 
• Learn more about Toronto’s ferry system, including information on a public survey to help improve how people experience the service on the ferries website.

Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation and climate action, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on X, Instagram or Facebook.