Marine Use Strategy

Waterfront for Everyone: Updating the Marine Use Strategy

The Marine Use Strategy is an important element in Waterfront Toronto’s vision for creating a more active, safe, and accessible waterfront. It highlights ways we can balance the diverse uses of Toronto’s harbour while exploring how we can create opportunities for people to more easily access and interact with the harbour, by water and by land.

Quick Facts

Location:

A detailed review of existing opportunities and constraints is underway and is primarily focused on the marine users located in the Inner Harbour area.

Design Team:

Waterfront Toronto, together with the City of Toronto, Ports Toronto, and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Consultant Team:

WSP Canada Group

Third-Party Facilitation Team:

LURA Consulting

The original draft Marine Use Strategy was released in 2006—a lot has changed in Toronto’s harbour since then. That is why in 2019, Waterfront Toronto, in partnership with the City of Toronto, PortsToronto and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, began an update to the Marine Use Strategy. After two years of engagement, the result is the 2020 Marine Use Strategy Report, which was released in March 2021.

The updated Marine Use Strategy Report aligns the 2006 strategy with new planning initiatives, ongoing and planned development projects, infrastructure investments and habitat restoration projects. The report also addresses the growing and expanding user base and interest in water-related recreation and transportation. Above all, it acts as a roadmap, identifying how we can move forward and implement recommendations to improve Toronto’s harbour.

As we progress through the implementation phases of the 2020 Marine Use Strategy Report, we will continue public consultation and work with residents, business owners, Toronto’s Indigenous communities, as well as environmental and recreational groups to gather valuable ideas and feedback.

Marine Coordination Committee

A joint Marine Coordination Committee was formed in February 2002. It includes representatives from representatives from all parties with land and waterlot ownership in the Inner Harbour, including Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, Ports Toronto, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and Harbourfront Centre. The Marine Coordination Committee meets regularly to advance priority recommendations from the Marine Use Strategy.

Kiss n’ Sail Pilot Program

In June 2024, Waterfront Toronto in partnership with PortsToronto and CreateTO announced a pick-up and drop-off pilot program called Kiss n’ Sail to provide short-term docking opportunities for private vessels in the Inner Harbour. The pilot program dedicates 30 metres of the Yonge Street Slip for short-term docking space to streamline docking activity and improve safety for all users. This pilot program responds to a critical need for short-term docking locations in the Inner Harbour and is part of the Marine Use Strategy.