Article
CBRE Helps Hoverlink Plan Hovercraft Service Between Toronto and Niagara Region
June 17, 2025 4 Minute Read
Imagine it: Watching the morning sun reflect off the water instead of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) crushing your soul. Sipping a refreshing drink, you take in the scenery as you travel smoothly and efficiently across Lake Ontario via a most futuristic mode of transportation: hovercraft.
For Niagara Region residents looking for a better way to commute to Toronto, and for Torontonians seeking a simpler way to reach wine country, this is no daydream. Hoverlink Ontario recently released details of a plan to connect the Niagara Region and Toronto via a 30-minute hovercraft ride across Lake Ontario, the first service of its kind in North America.
Hoverlink secured a 30-year contract with Ports Toronto to establish a floating landing pad and hoverport (terminal) at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and another agreement with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to develop another hoverport in St. Catharines, ON.
CBRE Tourism Consulting’s Rebecca Godfrey conducted the feasibility study for the project. “The goal is to get 8,000 cars off the QEW daily, reducing commuter congestion,” she says. “It will also encourage tourism by giving people in Toronto and the Niagara Region a faster option for day trips to a vineyard or a concert.”
Data-Powered
Hoverlink reached out to Godfrey last fall after having worked on the project for over a decade. “They already had their ducks in a row when it came to research and business planning,” she says. “But they needed the feasibility study to secure additional funding from investors.”
Godfrey helped Hoverlink forecast demand and develop a schedule by determining the size of the local commuter and tourism markets. She accounted for time of day and seasonal variations for commuters and tourists and provided advice on an appropriate pricing strategy, based on comparable transport options. She also spoke to nearby tourism entities and municipal partners to assess the potential for collaboration.
Other examples of high-speed hovercraft passenger services could be found in the Isle of Wight in the UK and in Oita, Japan, but nothing closer to home. “It was challenging to fully understand the project’s impact within the North American context,” says Godfrey. “That made the feasibility study even more critical.”
Year-Round Service
Similar projects have been attempted in the past, notably a short-lived hydrofoil venture and catamaran service between Toronto and Rochester, NY. But Godfrey says Hoverlink is better equipped to handle the harsh winter conditions. The vessel is covered and climate-controlled, so service can run year-long.
“The technology has improved significantly,” she explains. “A hovercraft is the only type of vessel that can provide that kind of service on Lake Ontario because it can travel over water, ice or land.”
Hoverlink is proposing two crafts that will operate up to 18 hours a day at speeds up to 100 km/h, for a combined maximum of 48 daily Lake Ontario crossings. Each vessel will have the capacity to carry up to 180 passengers between the Niagara Region and Toronto.
“With increased flights out of Billy Bishop Airport driving tourism and continued road and rail enhancements underway, utilization is expected to increase by over 17% in the first four years,” Godfrey explains.
The service is expected to cut travel times by more than half compared to driving or taking the bus or train, which can take two hours-plus on a bad day.
Each hovercraft crossing is expected to consume ~200 litres of biodiesel, a 99% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to car travel, making this a sustainable transportation option. The crafts also have minimal impact on marine life as they float above water and are much quieter than ferries and boats, limiting noise pollution. Manufacturing the vessels is expected to take up to two years.
All Aboard!
The proximity of Hoverlink’s Toronto hoverport to the Billy Bishop Airport will facilitate travel to the Niagara Region for passengers flying in from other parts of Canada. Electric shuttle buses to and from the hoverports will connect tourists to attractions and hotels in both the Niagara Region and Toronto, boosting local tourism and job creation.
The hovercraft service could also create opportunities for Toronto workers to relocate to the Niagara Region, where housing is more affordable. Hoverlink has discussed the possibility of adding more stops in the future.
There is also great potential for partnerships with airlines, wineries and tourism organizations. “There’s been strong support from the community,” says Godfrey. “This project has the potential to build up new and existing businesses and help to animate our waterfronts.”
Who couldn’t get on board with that sentiment?
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