The City is commissioning Canada’s first custom-made all-electric ferries. They are currently under construction by Dutch international shipbuilding experts Damen at their shipyard in Galati, Romania, working from designs by Concept Naval of Quebec City.
The City’s ferry fleet carries approximately 1.4 million passengers annually on its four primary ferry vessels. These vessels provide an essential service to Toronto Island residents and visitors. Although well-maintained, the current ferries are between 61 to 90 years old (not including the 1910-era Trillium heritage ferry) and are beyond the average industry lifespan.
The design of the new electric ferries will pay homage to the historical character of the City’s ferry fleet, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the ridership experience for Toronto Island residents and visitors.
The electric ferries will improve passenger experience with:
The first new ferry to arrive is designed for year-round use and has ice-breaking capabilities and triple the passenger capacity. It is expected to accommodate up to 650 passengers and 14 vehicles (or two large trucks), or up to 1,300 passengers without vehicles. This ferry will replace the Ongiara, currently the only vehicle-carrying vessel in the City’s fleet that is certified for operation in icy waters during winter months.
The second vessel is the passenger-only ferry with an anticipated capacity of 1,300 passengers, more than triple the capacity of the William Inglis, which it will replace and currently accommodates up to 395 passengers.
Replacing the existing Toronto Island ferry fleet is in progress. The first two ferries are under construction. The William McBride and Thomas Rennie will continue in service until the third and fourth new ferries are delivered.
| Existing Ferry Name and Year Acquired | Current Ferry Capacity | New Ferry Capacity | Scheduled New Ferry Delivery Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ongiara, 1963 | 216 passengers and 10 cars or equivalent space for trucks. | 615 passengers and 14 cars or equivalent space for trucks.
1,300 passengers with no vehicles. |
Late Fall 2026 |
| William Inglis, 1935 | 395 passengers | 1,300 passengers | Spring 2027 |
| Sam McBride, 1939 | 908 passengers | 1,300 passengers | In City’s 10-year Capital Plan, 2030-2034 time period, subject to final approval. |
| Thomas Rennie, 1951 | 908 passengers | 1,300 passengers | In City’s 10-year Capital Plan, 2030-2034 time period, subject to final approval. |
Schedule is subject to change.
Each ferry will undergo mandatory testing upon delivery, followed by regulatory processing and compliance checks before it can begin service.
To support the new electric ferries, charging infrastructure is needed at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Learn more about charging the ferries.
The City has allocated funding for the construction and delivery of two fully electric ferries. Funding for additional vessels is subject to approval in future Capital Budgets.
Concept Naval Architects of Quebec City was hired to design two new diesel ferries.
The City decided to change the design of the ferries to hybrid diesel-electric ferries.
The ferry designs included development through stakeholder and community engagement.
City Council decided to update the ferry design to 100 per cent electric ferries and Council approved the budget to advance the construction of two electric ferry vessels and the supporting shore-side electrical infrastructure.
Negotiated Request for Proposal (nRFP) issued to shipyards for the construction of two fully electric ferries.
Final electric ferry design confirmed.
Construction contract awarded to Damen Shipbuilding to construct two fully electric ferries.
Design and tendering of electric shoreside infrastructure improvements at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.
Shoreside infrastructure construction.
Anticipated delivery of the passenger and vehicle ferry.
Anticipated delivery of the passenger ferry.
The ferry fleet replacement aligns with TransformTO’s Net Zero Strategy and the City’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. This initiative aligns with the target of transitioning 20 per cent of the City’s ferry fleet to zero emissions by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030.
Replacing the current ferries with a fully electric ferry fleet is estimated to reduce 2,900 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (the equivalent to removing 600 cars from the road) and save more than $1 million in fuel costs annually once all four ferries are replaced.
The City of Toronto’s Marine Use Strategy, developed in partnership with Waterfront Toronto, Ports of Toronto and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), improves Toronto’s harbour and includes the gradual replacement of the City’s ferry fleet with electric vessels as well as charging infrastructure improvements at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to support the electrification of the new fleet.