Captain John’s Harbour Boat Restaurant will be removed from Toronto’s waterfront within the next three weeks, ending a 40-year stay that saw it sink from popular restaurant to unwanted landmark.
Officials say the vessel M.V. Jadran, home of Captain John’s since the 1970s, was sold by a federal court for $33,501 on Thursday and must be removed from the waterfront by August 22.
Captain John Letnick, owner of the ship, owes the city more than $500,000 in unpaid taxes, utilities and other fees.
In 2012, the city turned off water and utilities on the boat, which served as a popular tourist attraction and banquet hall for decades before falling on tough times during the 2008 recession.
Besides owing taxes, Letnick had also failed to pay Waterfront Toronto for the licences that allow land access to the restaurant.
Letnick had previously placed the ship for sale for $1.2 million but failed to attract any buyers.
The waterfront restaurant has remained vacant for the past two years as Letnick challenged the legitimacy of the unpaid debts.
It is unclear what the new owner plans to do with the vessel.
With files from CP24.
