A game-changing way to travel between Toronto and Niagara Falls may be on the horizon — and it doesn't involve traffic jams or train delays.
After over three years of behind-the-scenes planning and over 1,000 consultations, Hoverlink Ontario Inc. announced on Monday that it has secured its official landing site in the Toronto Harbour.
In a press release on Monday, the company said that with this latest update and its shovel-ready site in Niagara, it's almost ready to launch North America's first large-scale hovercraft transit route.
An artist's impression of a hovercraft going over Lake Ontario with CN Tower in the background.Hoverlink Ontario | Facebook
According to the Toronto Star, Hoverlink reached a deal with Toronto's port authority to operate out of Billy Bishop Airport. The site in Niagara is near the Welland Canal.
Currently, the journey by car can take over two hours, while the GO Train takes even longer.
The company says the high-speed service will shuttle passengers across Lake Ontario in 30 minutes. Hoverlink also expects the hovercraft to take thousands of cars off the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) daily, easing traffic and reducing emissions.
Rendering of the new hovercraft.Hovercraft Ontario, Inc.
"Toronto and the Niagara Region are about to get a whole lot closer," said founder and CEO of Hoverlink, Chris Morgan.
"We are extremely pleased to finally have the opportunity to provide a fast, reliable and sustainable transportation solution that connects tourists and commuters in only 30 minutes. It truly is connectivity without congestion!"
Hoverlink hopes its service will fill a gap to connect two of Ontario's busiest tourism and commuter zones with a fast, clean alternative to traditional transit.
However, the Toronto Star reports that the company could still face objections from local residents and lake users, and its fleet of two hovercrafts has yet to be constructed.
The hovercraft would take thousands of cars off the road, according to Hoverlink.Hoverlink Ontario, Inc.
Hoverlink says it will share more about its plans later this month at an event hosted by the Toronto Region Board of Trade centred around "building a bold, connected waterfront."
So get ready Toronto — the days of crawling along the QEW to get to Niagara could soon be a thing of the past.
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