New charging towers at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal prep Toronto for electric ferries

Automatic Shore Charging Systems are now visible at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal's outdoor area at the foot of Bay Street, signalling Toronto's transition to all-electric ferries. CreateTO shared that these charging towers — colloquially called charging towers by riders — will power cleaner, quieter and more accessible trips to and from Toronto Island when the new ferries enter service in 2027.

The Lady of the Quays was named to reflect Toronto's waterfront quays and harbour identity. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in late fall 2026, though research indicates a possible delivery window extending to early spring 2027. After delivery, the ferry will conduct trials and crew training before entering passenger service planned for spring 2027. A second electric ferry, the Toronto Islander, is scheduled to arrive on the waterfront next spring with passenger service beginning in 2027.

The current ferries serving the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal are century-plus-old. City of Toronto is required by the 1994 Toronto Island Community Residential Act to maintain ferry service. The charging infrastructure was installed overnight to avoid disrupting the ferry experience for current riders.

The city has not disclosed the cost of the charging towers or the shoreside infrastructure project, nor has it named who approved or funded the initiative. A 2015 international design competition selected a redevelopment plan for the terminal itself, but that project remains in planning stages with no apparent forward movement in recent years.