Jan 29
Ontario Launching High-Speed Hovercraft Ferry Between Toronto and Niagara
- Scott Way
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
A transit company in Ontario is launching a high-speed ferry service to connect Toronto to Niagara by hovercraft in under 30 minutes.
Ontario Hoverlink Inc. has finalized an agreement to launch a hovercraft service that will offer 30-minute trips between the Greater Toronto Area and Niagara Region.
The route will connect Ontario Place in Toronto with Port Weller in St. Catharines, significantly reducing travel time from the typical two to three-hour car journey.
According to the company, the high-speed ferry service will reduce the massive traffic flow that occurs from the GTA to southern Ontario during peak season.
The Niagara Region gets over 13 million tourist visitors per year with 92% arriving in a vehicle. The region is world renowned for its wineries, hotels and accommodations, and scenic lookouts that include a massive network of nature trails, waterfalls, and waterfront destinations along both Lake Ontario to the north and Lake Erie to the south. It's also home to Niagara Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world and a major tourist hub, dividing Ontario and New York State. Toronto, roughly a 90 minute drive to the north, receives over 27 million visitors annually.
The company plans to operate two hovercrafts, each capable of carrying up to 180 passengers, with up to 48 crossings per day. The hovercrafts are expected to travel up to 100 km/h.
The vessels are designed to travel over water, land, and ice, making them capable of year-round operation. While Lake Ontario doesn't typically freeze entirely over the winter it can happen. Even during milder winters, large sections of the waterway and coastline become ice covered between December and March. Â
The expectation is the City of Toronto will add a landing pad at Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island. Hoverlink currently has an office in downtown St. Catharines but is developing a station at Port Weller.
The Port Weller station will provide immediate access to popular destinations like Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Casinos, Brock University, Fort George, and the Welland Canal.
The Toronto Island station is located adjacent to Exhibition Centre, the CN Tower, and has immediate access to all of downtown Toronto.
The hovercarft route between stations will take roughly 30 minutes and cover 40 kilometres. Driving the same route takes an average of two hours and 110 kilometres.
According to Global News, nearly 280,000 vehicles travel over the Skyway Bridge between the two locations, with 72% of those vehicles commuting to Toronto. The hovercraft ferry could service up to three million passengers annually.
Hoverlink also says their hovercarft are weatherproof and produce noise levels lower than a household dishwasher when seated inside. They run on biodiesel, rather than traditional diesel or gasoline, resulting in up to 99% fewer CO2 emissions compared to car travel.
Chris Morgan, Founder and CEO of Ontario Hoverlink Ltd., emphasized the service's potential to connect tourists and commuters more efficiently while offering lower emissions and more convenient routing.Â
The company says its in the final stages of approval with the provincial government and has over 300 stakeholders throughout the GTA working to bring the project to fruition.
Former Toronto Argonauts player Michael 'Pinball' Clemons, a board member for the company, highlighted the hovercraft's role in uniting families and enhancing access to regional attractions.
Hoverlink expects pricing to be between $50 and $60 for a roundtrip service.
You can watch a video detailing the company's plans in the video below: