Toronto Island Ferry

Toronto Island Ferry

Labelled map of the Toronto Islands
Locale	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Waterway	Toronto Inner Harbour (Lake Ontario)
Transit type	Ferry
Operator	Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division PortsToronto (Toronto Port Authority)
Began operation	1883
System length	City Docks to Centre - 2km City Docks to Hanlan's - 2km City Docks to Ward's - 1.7 km Western Gap - 190m
No. of lines	4
No. of vessels	8
No. of terminals	6
Daily ridership	75,000

The Toronto Island Ferry connects the Toronto Islands in Lake Ontario to the mainland of Toronto, Canada. The main ferry service carry passengers and vehicles from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the foot of Bay Street to several docks on the islands. Another ferry carries passengers and vehicles to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the island from the foot of Bathurst Street. Private ferries carry passengers to various island boat clubs. Ferry services to the islands began in 1833, and the Toronto Island Ferry company began in 1883.

There are four public ferry services to the islands. Three of these ferry services are operated by the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division of the City of Toronto, and provide links for passengers and service vehicles from a dock at the foot of Bay Street on the central Toronto waterfront to docks at Hanlan's Point, Centre Island Park and Ward's Island on the Toronto Islands. Service frequencies vary by time of year, with two round trips per hour on each route in summer, but fewer sailings on fewer routes in winter.

The fourth public ferry service is operated by the PortsToronto and provides a vehicle and passenger connection from a dock at the foot of Bathurst Street to the island airport. The ferry makes the round trip across the 121 metres (397 ft) channel every 15 minutes during airport operating hours. There is no public access between the airport and the rest of the island chain.

Beside the public ferry services, several yacht clubs and marinas located on the islands provide private ferry services for their members and guests.

The first ferry to cross Toronto Harbour to what are now the Toronto Islands was in 1833, using a boat called Sir John of the Peninsular. This was a four-horse team boat, operated by Michael O'Connor, between York and his hotel on the island (then still a peninsula). At this time, persons could still access the peninsula from a road to the east of York, crossing over the Don. In 1835, the hotel came under new management and the first steam-powered ferry to the hotel, the Toronto was inaugurated. However, the steamboat was removed from service and sold and the horse boat reinstated. Popularity of the peninsula increased and in 1836, the city established a toll gate on the road, charging sixpence for every four-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses and other tolls for smaller carriages, wagons or riders.