Toronto will take ferry fleet all-electric
Written by Nick Blenkey
Visual rendering of the proposed fully-electric Toronto Island ferry.
The fourth largest city in North America, Toronto, is moving ahead with a plan to replace its current, aging fleet of ferry vessels with fully electric vessels.
The city’s largest park, Toronto Island Park, is currently served by a ferry fleet of four primary vessels and one heritage vessel, which together transport over 1.4 million passengers and 5,000 vehicles annually. Although well-maintained, the vessels are between 50 to 100 years old, well beyond the industry average lifespan for similar ferries.
The city’s General Government and Licensing Committee (GGLC) on January 14, adopted a staff plan to replace the four existing primary ferry vessels over a 15-year period. The initial ferry replacement strategy proposed a hybrid diesel-electric technology.
This shift to full electrification supports the city’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy and commitment to accelerate climate action to achieve net zero city-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. In particular, this initiative aligns with the target of transitioning 20% of the city fleet to zero emissions by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030.
Full electrification of the ferry fleet is estimated to reduce 2,800 tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually, which is equivalent to removing 600 cars from the road every year. In addition, displacing diesel fumes, which contribute to air and noise pollution, will provide an improved ridership experience for those visiting Toronto Island.
INCREASE IN FUNDING RECOMMENDED
The staff report recommends an increase in funding for the additional design and construction of support services required to advance a fully electric design for the ferries and the required shore-side infrastructure. This change, once the full fleet is replaced, will lead to annual savings of up to $1.1 million, according to the report. The projected payback on full electrification would be within 20 years.
Although further cost estimates will be undertaken as the project advances, current estimates for the completed designs range between $23 and $25 million per vessel. The cost for the fully electric vessels is comparable to hybrid vessels and they will have increased passenger capacity. Additional costs for shore-side infrastructure will be required.
“I support the full electrification of our future ferry fleet,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “This is the right thing to do for the environment and it is an investment that will ultimately save the city government money. This is one example of how we are successfully implementing the city’s Transform TO Net Zero Strategy and honoring our commitment to accelerate climate action to achieve net zero city-wide greenhouse gas emissions.”
