Moves have been announced to extend the proposed hovercraft route between Toronto and the Niagara Region, to Oshawa.
Hoverlink Ontario yesterday said it will be launching its rapid transit route between Toronto and the Niagara Region in summer 2023.
“We are working with HOPA (Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority) and the hovercraft operator to have this expanded to Oshawa as soon as possible,” said Regional and Oshawa Councillor Brian Nicholson.
“A great new imitative for our waterfront is on the horizon,” he added.
HOPA said: “We’re pumped for today’s announcement of a new fast hovercraft service between Niagara and Toronto”.
Oshawa is a major transit hub, recognized by Metrolinx, which has its easternmost GO Train stop at Oshawa, connecting the city’s hinterland to the rest of the GO Train network.
30-minute journey
The first of its kind in North America, this large-scale hovercraft service will move passengers across Lake Ontario in only 30 minutes – a journey that typically takes up to three hours by car or bus, or up to two hours by seasonal train service, said a statement carried by CNW.
It said Hoverlink has approvals in place to land its hovercrafts at Ontario Place in Toronto and Port Weller in St. Catharines, travelling across Lake Ontario in 30 minutes, 365 days a year, with up to 48 lake crossings per day. Described as “riding on air,” each craft holds up to 180 passengers in a comfortable, climate-controlled cabin.
With the capacity to serve more than three million passengers per year, the service will provide a direct link between two of Ontario’s most significant economic and tourist regions. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by removing thousands of vehicles from the QEW every day.
Hoverlink’s high-speed hovercrafts can travel across land, ice and water, in virtually all-weather conditions and temperatures. Similar crafts have been relied upon for decades by the U.S. and Canadian militaries and Coast Guards. Their extremely low-emission Tier 3 engines reduce 98 per cent of airborne toxins. The crafts ‘hover’ on a cushion of air above the water (hence the name ‘hovercraft’), so they leave virtually no wake or wash, and unlike traditional boats and ferries, they cause no harm to shorelines and protection efforts along Lake Ontario, the statement said.
Due diligence
Hoverlink has worked with all levels of government and consulted with over 300 stakeholders throughout the Golden Horseshoe area. After more than 10 years of due diligence, Hoverlink has reached the final stages of launching its service.
“Toronto and Niagara Region are about to get a whole lot closer. We cannot wait to finally provide a fast, reliable and sustainable transportation solution that connects tourists and commuters in only 30 minutes. There is already an incredible amount of interest in the project, and we look forward to speaking with more people in the weeks and months ahead,” said Chris Morgan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hoverlink Ontario Inc.
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