'Mechanical issue' knocks aging Toronto Island ferry out of service

One of the city's aging Toronto Island ferries is out of service for an investigation after a mechanical issue Thursday evening that forced its crew to perform an emergency stop while docking.

The nearly 90-year-oldWilliam Inglis ferry drifted into the wooden slip at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal downtown at around 6:15 p.m.

Paramedics and Toronto police's marine unitwere called to the scene but no injuries to passengers or crew were reported. Police said they were initially called for reports that a ferry had crashed into the dock.

A city spokesperson said in a statement an investigation is underway to determine exactly what happened.

"The ferry which experienced a mechanical issue has since been removed from service, and a thorough investigation into what occurred will start immediately. The safety of passengers and employees travelling to and from Toronto Island Park is of the utmost importance," the spokesperson said.

Service to all three islands will continue in the interim, the statement added.

TheWilliam Inglis is the oldest ferry in the city's fleet. City council recently approved the purchase of two new electric vessels at a price tag of $92 millionto bolster service to the islands, but they aren't expected to arrive until late 2026 and early 2027.

Meanwhilein August, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released the findings of its investigations into a 2022 crash that saw the Sam McBride ferry collide with the dock at the terminal. Twenty people sustained minor injuries due tothe incident.

The TSB said it found "several safety deficiencies" but concluded the age of the vessel was not a factor in the collision.