Toronto has shifted to ban motorcrafts from one of its busiest beaches till next year due to unsafe operators and concerns over illegal fare, but a rented company says that the city should focus on rules instead that are out of “evil actors” in the industry.
The City Council passed a resolution last week requested that Portstoronto had banned boats and individual watercrafts on a jet ski like Jet Ski at least 150 meters at Woodbine Beach in the city by June 2026.
The proposal condemns the “illegal” fare trade practices in the beach and nearby Aishbridge Bay, such as using and storing watercraft without a proper boating permit and operating and operating them unevenly.
“I am relieved that it was passed because local government job number 1 is to protect our residents,” Count said. Brad Bradford, who started motion and represents ward 19 beaches – Eastern York.
Bradford stated that a ban request was inspired by concerns over unlicensed fare companies, who operate and park their watercraft along the beach, and “careless” drivers who put a risk of swimmers, kockers and pedalboardrs.
“They are a threat to the community,” Bradford said. “It is a matter of time before someone is injured or killed.”
Prior to this summer, a motorized watercraft exclusive zone was introduced on the Hanlan Point Beach on the Center Island, which was 200 meters as part of a pilot project for this year’s boating season. Some residents of Atobicok in the west end of the city have also started a petition for a similar exclusion ban at Hamber Bay.
Earlier this month, the Toronto Police carried out an enforcement Blitz, targeting illegal watercraft rental and unsafe boating practices in the city, issued more than 50 tickets and dozens of bye -by -dozens of allegations for provincial offenses.
Bradford said, “These people come out, pay fine, and just go back to their operations and they are earning so much money on it.”
The police said in an email statement that they respond to more than 10 complaints per day related to unprotected watercraft rental, including the riders entering very close and nominated swimming areas.
Toronto police say another “huge concern” is that many individual watercraft operators have no proof of merit, essential by transport Canada. For those who rent boat or jet ski, this means running through protocols and signing a security checklist with a rented company.
A similar watercraft for jet ski and similar watercraft from Huber Bay to Ashbridge’s Gulf is also known as “Permit of Ship Operator operated” from Portstoronto, Mike Rehal, director of the Authority of Harbor Operations.
But some watercraft rental companies say that despite following all the rules, they are being luned with some “bad actors” that are ruining operations for the rest through unprotected trade practices. They are urging the city council to reconsider the latest Restrictions with the banks of Toronto.
One of the founders of the Rental Company Jetty, Raj Mehta said that when he supports the breakdown of unsafe and irrefutable operators, the watercraft restriction on the city beach also punishes businesses like him that operate safely.
He said, “We are on the ramp and water almost every day and we look at the issues of safety that the city is bringing.” “There are some operators that should not operate.”
He said that JT sends its watercraft out of Hamb Bay West outside the jurisdiction of Portstoronto.
Mehta said that his company follows safety rules to honor the insurance, GPS-based speed control jet ski without honoring the wake zone, and the rental boat issues evidence of qualification through the security checklist.
He said, “We use public dock, but we actually leave no watercraft in water … When they come back, we pull them on the trailers and they are out of here,” he said, many Other operators leave their watercraft on the edge.
“Anyone can buy something jet ski and call themselves a rented company and can start renting them because there is no regulation,” he said. “These people are causing safety issues, these are the people who are not respecting the public place.”
Mehta said that he is ready to work with the city, which is to detect a solution, which will focus on regulation, such as establishing the launch nominated for individual watercrafts away from public beaches and boat launch areas, or lease from the city.
Despite reaching a local councilor and the mayor’s office, Mehta said that he had not received a response to his proposals and requests.
Bradford said that companies working with the city could reach out and make a proposal, but “no one happened,” Bradford said, the amendment of their proposal to form a stakeholder advisory committee may include rental companies.
While Bradford recognized that the entire industry is not breaking the operations and safety rules, based on his comments on Woodbine Beach, he believes that rent companies are not interested in working with the city. He said that if they want to continue their operation, they can see the slips of the lease in the waterfront.
Mehta said that his company has already discovered to hire a place from Marinas, but under the jurisdiction of Portstoronto, the inner harbor is “a complete bunch of issues” with the option in the form of Marinas in the form of Marinas, which requires the sailors to have a specific permit that will be difficult to get for short -term tenants.
Rehal of Portstoronto said, “Use of jet ski negatively affects the boating experience in sailors and ports, so Marinas is unlikely to fulfill the jet ski companies.”
Mehta said that they still hope that the city can detect a solution that preference safe and proper access to the waterfront and does not remove those who are trying to follow the rules.
“We just want to draw some attention to it because I think it has reached a boiling point and everyone wants to do something,” said Mehta.
“Many of our customers are local and many of them are also tourists, so if this industry is closed then there is a lot of impact.”
This report of Canadian Press was first published on 30 July 2025.
Vanessa Turbrio, Canadian Press