A Coveted Shipping Crown: A 159-year-old tradition at the Port of Toronto continues with the Beaver Hat Ceremony

Since 1861, the Beaver Hat Ceremony has celebrated the arrival of the first ocean-vessel to reach the Port of Toronto. This year, the M/V Tufty won this honour as it journeyed from Guatemala to the Port of Toronto to deliver 19,000 metric tonnes of cargo to Redpath Sugar’s refinery, marking the beginning of the spring shipping season.

Historically, the Captain of the first “saltie” or ocean-going vessel to arrive at the Port of Toronto is crowned by the Harbour Master with a 200-year-old beaver and silk top hat at the Beaver Hat Ceremony, a tradition that has spanned 159-years.

This year – in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – it was clear that the health of the ship’s crew would be PortsToronto’s first priority. While keeping social distancing top of mind, we were still able to mark this annual tradition with a remote Beaver Hat Ceremony. Here is Captain Denys Bushuyev on the wing bridge of the M/V Tufty.

Early records show that the Port of Toronto’s first Harbour Master, Hugh Richardson, initiated the idea to entice ships to bring building materials into the harbour as early as possible each year, allowing Toronto—then a burgeoning city—to start its building season. The hat itself is also an object of lore. Legend has it that the beaver hat acted as a twenty-four hour key to the city for the captain who wore it, bringing about merriment and complimentary drinks wherever they went.

The Port of Toronto is one of Canada’s largest major inland ports and plays an important role in Canada’s transportation network and the Toronto economy, allowing for the delivery of salt and sugar, as well as concrete, sand and other goods needed to support the city’s booming construction industry, directly into the heart of the city.

Learn more about how the Port of Toronto serves as a gateway to the world, for both tourism and trade, here.