News & Media

Speaker Series 18: A Romance of Ferries

Join us November 18th at 7 pm for Speaker Series 18: A Romance of Ferries: 200 Years of Getting People to the Islands. Presented by Ron Jenkins.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Toronto has always been a waterfront town, intimately connected to its spectacular Island retreat.

For nearly 200 years ferries have been integral to that connection. Ron will survey Toronto's fascinating story of ferries, past, present, and future, the romance of excursions across the harbour, and yes, also some frustrations, failures and small triumphs. 

Tuesday November 18, 2025 • 7:00 PM on Zoom

Biidaasige Walk: Long-buried Seeds Reborn

Native seeds buried under eight metres of soil when the foot of the Don was a marsh long ago are coming back to life at Biidaasige Park. Excavation and construction for the new park exposed ancient seeds to water and sun; they woke up and started growing again.

We learned about this amazing rebirth of native plants at our October 26, 2025 Walk/Talk led by David Stonehouse of the Waterfront Secretariat, with special guests forestry expert Steve Smith of Urban Forest Associates and landscape architect Netami Stuart of Toronto Parks and Recreation. The weather was perfect. It was a great day. Many thanks to our expert speakers, and to the many people that joined us for a scenic Sunday stroll.

Dystopian Dockwalls

Many of Toronto’s dockwalls and breakwaters are falling down! Luckily, there’s a plan to fix them eventually.

At our Speaker Series event on September 30, 2025, Merrilees Willemse of the Waterfront Secretariat and Jennifer Ogrodnick of Create TO gave a great talk on the City’s new process to fix these crumbing and sometimes dangerous structures, which in some cases are over a century old. Their slide decks are here and here.

Join us September 30th at 7 pm for Dockwall Dystopia

The urban shoreline in much of our central waterfront is in a sorry state, it's positively dystopian! For years Waterfront for All has been quietly and steadily pressing for action on this. From being a 'tragedy of the commons' situation there is now good news as the City of Toronto is starting to take action. Join us on online Tuesday, September 30th at 7:00 pm, as we welcome, Merrilees Willemse - Project Manager, Waterfront Secretariat and Jennifer Ogrodnick - Director, Construction, CreateTO who will tell us what's happening and take questions! CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Waterfront Walk April 22

Many thanks to David Stonehouse of the Waterfront Secretariat for leading a great a walk of Corktown Common, Oowemin Minesing, and along the water's edge promenade to Sugar Beach. We were thrilled to have a spontaneous appearance from Jed Kilbourn, Director Development Planning for Waterfront Toronto. Both have unmatched knowledge of Toronto's amazing waterfront revitalization. It was a beautiful night for a walk, and we learned a lot. 

March 10, 2025 AGM

Thanks to all who attended our AGM on March 10, 2025.

Chair Ed Hore gave his sort-of annual Review of what's happening on the waterfront.

Joe Cressy, Chief of Staff, Waterfront Toronto, gave an inspiring talk on WT's projects, including Ookwemin Minising, Toronto's brand new island. Here's his deck.

Johanna Kyte of TRCA gave a fascinating overview of TRCA's waterfront projects.

We will post a recording of the meeting soon.

Join us March 10th for our AGM & Waterfront Review

We invite you to attend our online Waterfront Review & Annual General Meeting on Monday, March 10th at 7 pm to hear influential waterfront experts describe what’s happening on the Toronto. 

Waterfront! The Waterfront Review will be followed by a brief AGM.

WATERFRONT REVIEW SPEAKERS

The Year in Summary — Ed Hore, Chair

— Waterfront for All

Joe Cressy, Chief of Staff

— Waterfront Toronto

Johanna Kyte, Senior Manager,

Government & Community Relations

— Toronto & Region Conservation

Authority (TRCA)

Click here to RSVP

All members can vote for and stand for a position on our Board of Directors. Individual memberships are available for $20. 

Click here to join & donate. 

Sh*t in the Water / Spa on the Land - Speaker Series 16 - Jan 22-2025

Join us Wednesday, January 22, at 7 pm for Speaker Series 16 presented in co-operation with our sister organization Ontario Place for All,as we explore the potential toxic impact of the planed combined sewer overflow that has the clear potential to spread polluted water, including sewer run off, around the West Island at Ontario Place and the planed 'new beach'.

Our featured speakers will include - 

Norm Di Pasquale - Ontario Place for All Co-Chair.

Chris Glover - MPP, Spadina-Fort York

Ann-Elisabeth Samson - Ontario Place for All Co-Chair & Rower. 

Click here to RSVP

The Harbour Dock Walls Are Unsafe

 

Some Toronto Harbour dock walls are collapsing. Many have decrepit, unusable safety ladders, or none at all. Yet the water can be cold enough to kill you, and the dock walls are high and unclimbable. WFA Chair Ed Hore recently did a Report on the condition of the dock walls, pointing out the worst spots, with photos taken from his kayak. An Appendix has pictures of all the harbour dock walls.

Farewell to X we've made a splash under a nice BlueSky

Breaking: Waterfront for All will no longer be active on X (formerly Twitter). 

We are now on the new and fast growing BlueSky you can find us there via your web browser at https://bsky.app/profile/waterfront4all.bsky.social.

Or you can download and sign up for the BlueSky App. 

We are pleased to join a positive new social media site that focuses on engagement and information sharing, rather than misinformation and disinformation. Hope to see you there!

Find out more about BlueSky https://bsky.social/about/blog/11-29-2024-engagement