Hoverlink from Niagara to Toronto one step closer to anchors aweigh

Hamilton Spectator

2 days ago

Hoverlink Ontario is one step closer to touching water in Lake Ontario, bridging Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto in around 30 minutes.
Through a partnership with PortsToronto (formerly the Toronto Port Authority), the company has officially secured a docking area in Toronto after more than three years of consultation, announced in a media release on May 5.
The Hoverlink will depart from a docking area in Port Weller to Toronto, near Billy Bishop Airport, across from Stadium Road.
'With its Niagara site already shovel-ready, this milestone clears a major hurdle for launching North America's first large-scale hovercraft transit route,' the release reads.
Company president Erika Potrz told The Lake Report there is still a two-year minimum before the crafts are actually manufactured.
'Some of those timelines have been extended because of tariffs and the impact on manufacturing,' she said.
When it does hit the water, the Hoverlink will bring positive change to NOTL's tourism, Potrz said.
Hoverlink has been in contact with tourism groups, including the Niagara Parks Commission and Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake for 'several years' to discuss maximizing the transportation's positive impact.
'I've met with everybody in economic development across the entire region to have conversations about how we can work together to increase tourism and utilize this as a new way of bringing more awareness to what we offer in the Niagara region,' Potrz said.
Because the Hoverlink will be the first of its kind in North America, it will garner a lot of media coverage, drawing attention to NOTL as well, she added.
The Lake Report asked Queen Street patrons what they think about the Hoverlink.
Carol Fraser lives in Old Town and says she would definitely be interested in trying out the Hoverlink.
'On an occasional basis, certainly not every week or anything, but definitely yes,' Fraser said.
Fraser and her husband Robin tend to avoid travel to Toronto nowadays, and the Hoverlink would make travelling back and forth easier, she said.
'We avoid it because of the traffic.'
Kat Rezo was visiting NOTL from Hamilton and said she probably wouldn't use the Hoverlink, because the route from Hamilton to Toronto is pretty straightforward.
'I think I'd be nervous about the waters,' she said.
Choppy waters are a main focus of the folks over at Hoverlink, Potrz said.
The Hoverlink's technology is the correct one when it comes to navigating Lake Ontario, she said.
'You're hovering a meter above the water, so it really doesn't matter what's happening underneath. You're having a smooth consumer experience,' Potrz said.
She emphasized that the Hoverlink is something that has never been attempted before.
'There's never been a military grade hovercraft on Lake Ontario,' Potrz said.
Potrz referenced a ferry predicated on cargo movement out of Rochester and a hydrofoil, which is 'not a competent marine craft,' she said.
'We've chosen the right technology to cross 365 days a year to make this a viable transit project.'
In September of 2024, the projected cost of a round-trip journey on the Hoverlink was about $50 to $60.
Amanda McFadyen, a visitor to NOTL from Woodstock, said she saw news about the Hoverlink in the past and thought it was an interesting idea.
'But as somebody who's living in the area, I could drive and take the Go Train (which would be) probably easier and probably less expensive,' McFadyen said in an interview.
Potrz said Hoverlink has to reevaluate pricing from the original projection.
The company is now looking at a variety of pricing options, for commuters, wholesale tourism operators and retail ticket prices.
'I'm less anchored on one particular price at this point. We do want it to be comparable to existing travel options,' Potrz said.
'We want to make sure a multitude of people can actually afford it.'
[e-mail]