A private water taxi company is proposing a new ferry service from the Humber Bay Shores to downtown Yonge Street.
"You know how frustrating it is when you’re stuck in traffic on the Gardinerand you’re watching the slow sailboats sail right by you,” says Alex Nosal, president of The Otter Guy.
Nosal is hoping to start a service using electric catamarans that can pick up people near the Marina Del Rey condos and take them to downtown Toronto in 30 minutes. Costing $10, one way, the ferries would also offer WiFi, bicycle racks, and washrooms.
"We’ve been aiming it primarily at those condos because they can simply walk or ride their bicycles over. We think that is ideal, that you’re able to get to Yonge Street, have your bicycle … and just ride up to wherever you go."
The trip would take about half an hour, he explained, because there’s a speed limit of 5 knots once you enter the inner harbour.
“Plus five minutes mooring the boat and pulling the boat out each time. It’s not until it’s in the open water that we can kick in and go quickly,” he says.
“But it’s definitely a lot quicker than driving a car downtown.”
Nosal thinks that in ten or 15 years all fossil fuels will be phased out of the transportation sector. “We’re going electric because I don’t care what anyone says,I believe that global warming is here."
Environmental groups have been approving of the idea, he says, as wildlife sanctuaries are far away, the electric boats are noise-free and leave no carbon footprint.
"Our whole point is people are willing to pay a little bit extra to take the service.”
Nosal says the proposed 8-km service would run nine months a year.
But before it begins running, he’ll have to surpass several hurdles.
There is a public meeting scheduled forJune 30 at 2282 Lake Shore Blvd. W. at the Polish Association of Toronto.
