City of Toronto launches 2 new boats to improve emergency responses ahead of summer season

Toronto will be able to respond faster to water emergencies this summer thanks to two new boats that can access tighter and shallower waterways, Toronto's fire chief says. 

Fire Boat 334 and Rescue Boat 334, which cost roughly $4 million combined, were introduced by the City of Toronto and Toronto Fire Services Friday with a ceremonial bottle-break and an inaugural voyage of Toronto's Harbourfront.

The boats will "absolutely save lives," said Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop.

The Toronto Fire marine division runs many calls each year, responding to everything from water rescues to drownings, Jessop said, and now crews will be able to better answer those calls.

"The time it takes to respond to the Scarborough Bluffs has literally been cut three quarters with the new fire boat," Jessop said. "It provides the Toronto Fire Services the ability to get to all areas of the lake, all areas of the island that were never accessible, and in a much quicker time than we ever had before."

Plans for the new vessels started in 2022 in response to the steadily increasing volume of waterborne emergency calls that Toronto Fire had been receiving, Jessop said. 

Toronto Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik said that the city is planning to increase activities around the waterfront area over the summer.

"The emergency services must have the right tools, equipment, and the capacity to respond to that increased activity and the enjoyment of our waterfront," said Malik.

The roughly 17-metre Fire Boat 334 has a more powerful engine than the rescue boat will be able to respond quickly to fires and medical incidents, the city says, with paramedics onboard designated to provide patient care and transfer them from emergency scenes. Meanwhile, the smaller Rescue Boat 334 will offer faster, more agile deployment for flood response and search and rescue missions — particularly near the Toronto Islands and Scarborough Bluffs.