Hoverlink Ontario Inc. announced that it has entered the final stage of approval to introduce a high-speed hovercraft service to the Golden Horseshoe. The first of its kind in North America. With plans to begin operating next summer, the hovercraft service will travel across Lake Ontario between Ontario Place in downtown Toronto and Port Weller in St. Catharines, Ont., a trip that can take about two hours by car or train. “What this means for families across our country is potentially a game-changer,” said Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Hoverlink’s head of government relations and former Toronto Argonauts star. “It’s a rapid transit solution for the Golden Horseshoe and as most people are saying now, it’s a game changer,” said Chris Morga, CEO and founder of Hoverlink Ontario Inc. The company said the service will complete 48 rides each day, carrying up to 180 passengers on each trip. The hovercraft is designed to operate on land, water and ice, making it available for year-round travel. Ticket prices are expected to be $25 to $30 one-way and $50 to $60 round-trip. The Hoverline hovercraft plans to span a distance of 40 to 48 kilometers between Port Weller in St. Catherines and Toronto’s Ontario Place Marina in about 30 minutes. (Hoverlink Ontario Inc.) But why is there currently no transport on Lake Ontario? Spirit of Ontario 1, a high-speed ferry company offering routes from Toronto to Rochester, New York, attempted to operate fleets across Lake Ontario in 2004. However, the company lasted only two seasons before succumbing to financial constraints. “I think the real difference is the craft itself,” Clemons said. Major advances in hovercraft technology have allowed for safe travel on Lake Ontario year-round, Clemons said. “We wanted to create the safest and most environmentally friendly option available.” Niagara Mayor Jim Diodati thinks it’s the perfect time to start a project like this. “It’s new technology, it’s a new era, it’s much busier now than ever,” he said. “The idea of connecting Toronto with the Niagara region, which is already a playground, is an idea that is obvious.” Hoverlink said the hovercraft would be a green alternative form of travel as it would limit the number of cars traveling on the QEW. In addition, the hovercraft will leave virtually no mark and will not damage the shores.
