FAQs

PortsToronto is governed by a Board of Directors who are appointed by the federal, provincial and municipal governments. For more information visit our governance page.

The Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) was PortsToronto’s predecessor. PortsToronto, formerly known as the Toronto Port Authority was established by the Federal Government in 1911, under the Toronto Harbour Commissioners Act, the THC was mandated with overseeing the development of Toronto’s waterfront. In 1998, The Canada Marine Act established the Toronto Port Authority, which opened its doors in 1999. For more information visit our history page.

If you have a comment about the PortsToronto please contact us here.

Or you can write to us at:
207 Queens Quay West
Suite 500
Toronto, ON, M5J 1A7

PortsToronto is located at 207 Queens Quay West, Suite 500, in Toronto. The closest major intersection is York St. and Queens Quay.

No, the Port of Toronto no longer hosts a ferry service to Rochester, New York. However, PortsToronto does operate ferry service to Billy Bishop Airport Toronto City Airport.

PortsToronto has been working for over 100 years with the waterfront community to keep the Port and Harbour of Toronto clean and free of debris, harmful matter and spills through its Harbour Cleanup Program.

Each year the PortsToronto removes approximately 400 tonnes of wood debris alone from entering the harbour from the Don River.

Please report any pollution, spill or debris to the Harbour Hotline at 416-462-3937. For debris that is an immediate danger to navigation, please contact the Toronto Police Services Marine Unit at 416-808-5800.

If you have questions about a ship currently in port, please call 416-462-3937.

PortsToronto has jurisdiction over all waters within the Port and Harbour of Toronto; this includes both the busy inner and outer harbours as well as surrounding areas.

The juridical boundaries, (see map) in the west extend into Lake Ontario for one mile due south from the mouth of the Humber River, draw a line to a point one mile due south of Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island and continue east to a line extending for one mile due south of Victoria Park (in essence the boundaries of the old City of Toronto).

Since March 9, 2015, PortsToronto has stopped accepting disposal material (brick, ceramic tile and porcelain) at the Leslie Street Lakefill Site, as these types of materials were no longer needed to aid in the formation of the Leslie Street Spit.

There are two public boat launches in Toronto; Humber Bay Park West in the west end and Ashbridges Bay Park in the east end.

Travel by boat from either launch is approximately 8 km to the Toronto Inner Harbour.

There are currently six marinas operating in the immediate Toronto area.

Outer Harbour Marina

Toronto Island Marina

Harbourfront Centre (operates Marina Quay West, Marina Four and John Quay)

Bluffer’s Park Marina

Please note that there is no free berthing available for visitors/transients in the City of Toronto. Also, all visitors to the Port and Harbour of Toronto are required to hold a Powered Vessel Operator’s Permit. Visitor Permits are available for 14-day periods through the Permit Office (416-778-1230).

PortsToronto conducts regular dredging of the harbour. If you see any pollution, spill or debris that requires cleaning, please call the Harbour Hotline at 416-462-3937.

For debris that is an immediate danger to navigation, please contact the Toronto Police Services Marine Unit at 416-808-5800.

The Port of Toronto is primarily a bulk port and there is no regular container service at this time. Inbound containers arrive in Canada via container ship in either Vancouver or Prince Rupert (shipments from Asia) or in Montreal or Halifax (shipments from Europe).  For containers coming from other ports, the port of arrival will depend on where the port from which the container departed is on the western or eastern side. Once in Canada, containers are loaded onto a truck or rail and will be delivered to either Vaughan or Brampton (near Toronto).

You will need to find a freight forwarder in the country of origin of your shipment and ask them “Who is my Canadian freight forwarder?” It is the Canadian freight forwarder’s job to get your freight to you. Once you know who your Canadian freight forwarder / shipper is, we recommend that you contact them and they can tell you the costs involved.

Yes. Occasionally, vessels will anchor in the inner harbour – within designated anchorage – for various reasons including seeking shelter from unfavourable weather in Lake Ontario or waiting for a berth to open in order to load or unload material. These vessels could include the Canadian Coast Guard, tugboats, barges and freighters.

You can register your personal vessel by contacting the Transport Canada Marine Safety Office at 1-800-267-6687 or on its website.

If you’re planning to bring your powered boat into the PortsToronto’s jurisdiction, you will need to apply for a Powered Vessel Operator’s Permit from the Toronto Port Authority.

Visitor Permits valid for 14 consecutive days are also available.

Yes.

The Powered Vessel Operator’s Permit (also known as a Harbour License) is issued by the Harbour Master’s Office and is specific to the Port and Harbour of Toronto.

The Pleasure Craft Operators Card is issued by Transport Canada for all Canadian waterways.

Currently BOTH are required to operate a POWERED vessel within the jurisdiction of the Toronto Port Authority.

Please visit the Powered Vessel Operator’s Permit section of our website

Summer seasonal slips are available from May 1 until October 31.

Yes! Simply call the Outer Harbour Marina (OHM) to check availability. When coming to reserve a slip, please bring proof of insurance with you.

No. The OHM currently does not have public boat launch facilities. However, we will be more than happy to book an appointment for launch with our Travel Lift.

Simply call us or come into the office. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you choose a slip suitable for your vessel`s needs.

To get a slip, you will need to provide

• The year, make and model of your vessel
• $2,000,000 in liability insurance

Yes. We offer SHORT TERM storage on land for vessels of all sizes. Vessels must be insured and in a decent state of repair to be stored at the OHM. In the winter, we offer both outdoor and heated indoor boat storage. To learn more, please contact the marina office.