Here’s what the inside of Toronto’s new electric ferry fleet will look like

A rendering of one of the new electric ferries that will service passengers to the Toronton Islands. (City of Toronto)

After thousands of votes, the city has landed on an interior design for the new fleet of all-electric ferries that will sail to the Toronto Islands.

With just more than half the 9,100 votes, at 51 per cent, the city revealed that Torontonians voted for the Art + Social design, which will be seen in the new fleet slated to take shore over the next two years.

The city says the first boat arrives in late 2026.

The first ferry is expected to hold up to 1,300 passengers without any vehicles on board, or half that capacity to be able to accommodate 14 vehicles. It will also be designed to be used all year round.

The second boat will be passenger-only with the same capacity, which is more than triple the capacity of the William Inglis, the vessel it is replacing. The boats are currently under construction in Romania, by Dutch shipbuilding company Damen.

The city approved the purchase of the two electric ferries last July, at a cost of $92 million—far surpassing the budgeted $25 million in 2020.

They opted for the costlier choice to meet their emissions reduction targets.

The upcoming ships will replace the city’s current fleet (excluding the Trillium heritage ferry), which have surpassed the average age of retirement for the boating industry, ranging in age from 61 to 114 years.

“The design of the new electric ferries will pay homage to the historical character of the city’s ferry fleet, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the ridership experience for Toronto Island residents and visitors,” the city said online.

Officials say the electric ferries will boost passenger experience with accessible washrooms, increased passenger capacity, more efficient passenger flow, and upgraded accessibility with wider ramps.

About 1.4 million people used the ferries annually, the city says.