Item - 2024.EX18.12

The Executive Committee:

1. Requested the Waterfront Secretariat, in consultation with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to present an update to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee at its December 11, 2024 meeting, on what they plan to do about inaccessible services offered by water taxi service companies such as TikiTaxi, Toronto Harbour Water Taxi and Pirate Taxi Toronto.

2. Requested the Waterfront Secretariat to include an update on how they are making the Toronto islands more accessible overall in the presentation.

At its meeting on October 17, 2024, the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee considered Item DI9.7 and made recommendations to the Executive Committee.

Summary from the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee:

Toronto’s private water taxi services are not accessible for those using mobility aids. Limited to using the City’s crowded ferry service, people using mobility aids often find it challenging to get to Toronto Island and back in a manner that meets their needs for comfort, choice, and spontaneity. For a city with the largest disability population in Canada, consisting of residents, visitors and tourists, this is not an acceptable standard.