City to pay for buoys marking motorized watercraft exclusion zone off Woodbine Beach and other waterfront locations
By MATTHEW STEPHENS
As the weather heats up and visitors return to Woodbine Beach, Toronto Council has approved spending more than $300,000 for the purchase and installation of buoys in Lake Ontario to help enforce a 150-metre Motorized Watercraft Exclusion Zone off the shore.
At its May 21 meeting, council updated its provision of the 2026 Motorized Watercraft Exclusion Zones, to include $310,500 contribution to the Toronto Port Authority (TPA). Motions carried on the May 21 Toronto City Council item will see the Director of Waterfront Secretariat transfer funds to the Wider Waterfront and Marine Strategy project to purchase and install marker buoys identifying the Motorized Watercraft Exclusion Zones.
Council have also authorized the city manager to “enter into an agreement with the Toronto Port Authority,” to purchase and operate marker buoys.
Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford said establishing buoys at Woodbine Beach this year is “essential” following incidents along the lakefront in previous years.
“It was essential that we found a solution so buoys would be funded and installed at Woodbine Beach this summer,” Bradford told Beach Metro Community News following the May council meeting.
“That’s why I am glad that city staff reached an agreement with the Toronto Port Authority to fund 10 buoys across the beaches that will have motorized watercraft exclusion zones.”
Concerns from residents and councillors along other sections of Toronto’s lakefront prompted the 150-metre ban on motorized watercrafts to also include Hanlan’s Point Beach on the islands, Humber Bay Shores in Etobicoke, Cherry Beach, and the Outer Harbour on the west side of the Leslie Street Spit.
Bradford said the Toronto Port Authority will consult with the Toronto Police Service Marine Unit to determine where the 150-metre offshore buoys will be placed, and that city staff will be establishing a community advisory group with residents and beach user groups to “inform the implementation of the exclusion zone.”
The city has been cracking down on the use of motorized watercraft along the lakefront since last summer, which saw numerous reported incidents of unsafe jet ski operation at Woodbine and other city beaches.
Bradford said the “physical buoys are essential so that everyone understands where the line is,” in a previous statement regarding enforcement of the motorized watercraft exclusion zones.
Councillors and residents have also highlighted concerns with individuals renting jet skis without licenses or permission to operate on city property, sparking a stronger push for stricter city bylaw enforcement against these illegal operators.
“We will be watching closely to see if these actions are enough to deter the rental companies, and make changes to the plan if illegal operations continue,” said Bradford in an earlier statement.
Toronto Council is also seeking to ensure funding for the buoys marking the exclusion zones to go beyond the 2026 summer season. In a separate motion by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, council have directed the city manager to “continue to seek ongoing funding” for Motorized Watercraft Exclusion Zone marker buoys beyond the summer.
Comments (0)
There are no comments on this article.