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It concluded that while a permanent pedestrian and cycling link is technically feasible and “conceptually appealing” given the popularity of the islands, it would face a number of “constraints” that mean it wouldn’t “be quick, simple or inexpensive.”

The report recommends council strike a task force to study a link to the islands as a long-term option to improve access, while also advancing more immediate and medium-term improvements already underway such as the $145-million renewal of the ferry fleet, improving the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, licensing additional water taxis, launching a “sea bus” pilot project and supplementing ferry service with relief vessels. 

Soon after the report was published on Tuesday, Mayor Olivia Chow’s office signalled that a fixed link isn’t a priority for her administration. The mayor “wants to make it easier for people to get to the islands to enjoy parks and beaches,” but “is focused on what we can do now, quickly,” such as more water taxis and relief vessels, said Chow’s press secretary Zeus Eden in a statement.

Coun. Jon Burnside said the proposal shouldn’t be allowed to wither, however. “With Toronto’s burgeoning population, especially at the waterfront, we shouldn’t be limiting access to the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøIslands,” he said. He framed the issue as one of “equity and inclusion,” arguing that apartment-dwelling residents in his midtown ward of Don Valley East have as much right to visit the island as those who live near the lake.   

Burnside said he hoped the city commits to “an actual road map” to build a fixed link, instead of a “nebulous, long-term goal.” 

“We’ve seen what happens when we set long-term goals in this city,” he said. 

The report’s review focuses on proposals for a permanent connection over the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøharbour’s eastern gap, the 265-metre wide channel between Ward’s Island and the Port Lands. They include a high bridge between Ward’s Island and the Port of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøthat would be tall enough to allow ships to pass under; a lower bridge in the same area that would periodically open to let vessels through; a gondola connecting multiple locations in the Port Lands to Centre Island; and a tunnel that would be similar to the one that serves º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøIsland Airport under the western gap. 

All four options would likely cost at least $100 million, according to a preliminary estimate in the report. The Island master plan council approved last July stipulated that any fixed link should prioritize access for pedestrians and cyclists, and the islands should remain car-free.

A significant obstacle to any kind of fixed link would be ensuring that it avoids “disruption or displacement” of economic activity in the Port of Toronto, according to the report. The eastern gap is the only access point for commercial vessels serving the facility, which generates more than $460 million in annual economic activity and directly supports 670 jobs, according to the port authority. 

A fixed bridge or gondola would also have to be low enough to avoid planes servicing the island airport, and high enough to allow boats to pass under it. That would mean that the bottom of a non-retractable bridge could be no lower than 39 metres above water — potentially requiring extensive ramp structures to access it — and no higher than 76 metres, according to the report.

A retractable bridge could be lower, but would require more complex machinery and a full-time operator. It might also cause lineups both on land and water as vessels and island-goers waited for their turn to pass. 

Among the other concerns with a fixed link highlighted in the report are the lack of transit to serve the Port Lands area where the shore side end of the connection would be built, potential negative impacts on environmentally sensitive lands and the need for the city to acquire property to build the project. 

If the city decides to pursue the idea, the next steps would be a feasibility study. Staff estimate it could take a decade to design, build and open the link. 

According to staff, the link would complement rather than replace the need for other access improvements to the island, and “should therefore be thought of as a potential long-term project, possibly to coincide” with development projects expected to bring thousands of new residents to the Port Lands. 

While not an immediate option, a “fixed active transportation link to the island deserves a close look, and I’m encouraged by the recommendation” to study the idea, Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, whose Toronto-Spadina ward includes the islands, said in a statement. “In the meantime, we are moving forward immediate improvements to the ferry passenger experience this summer season.”