April 6, 2025, 2:02 pm
In a stunning display of ideological tunnel vision, Toronto City Council and senior staff managed to procure two electric ferries from a Dutch company—without planning for the necessary charging systems or upgrading the dockside infrastructure to support them.
This bureaucratic blunder, even by the City of Toronto’s dismal standards, will now cost taxpayers an additional $50 million, on top of the already bloated $92 million price tag for the vessels.
Ironically, the only voice of reason was Councillor Paula Fletcher—who voted for the project in 2019—yet was visibly frustrated and incredulous that such a critical component had been ignored during procurement.
This raises serious questions: How did such a fundamental oversight go unnoticed in negotiations with shipbuilder Damen Group? Could this constitute a breach of contract? Why are these ships being built in Romania, when Canada has its own mature shipbuilding sector?
At a time of mounting fiscal strain, the City could have sourced Made-in-Canada, fuel-efficient, low-emission combustion ferries at a fraction of the cost. We’re talking orders of magnitude cheaper. The City of Kingston is already grappling with mechanical failures in their new electric fleet—an ominous sign of what may lie ahead.
An online post revealing the blunder has garnered over 200,000 views revealing widespread disgust and indignation from Toronto residents.
Yet, in its blind devotion to climate dogma over practical governance, Toronto once again saddles its taxpayers with a costly, avoidable fiasco—one that common-sense leadership could have prevented.