Toronto Port Authority
Since our founding as the Toronto Harbour Commission in 1911, we’ve been a key steward of Toronto Harbour and the surrounding lakefront, from the Humber River to Victoria Park.
We have a proud history of being city builders, shaping the waterfront, the economy, and transportation infrastructure.
Today, we are a future-ready port authority—a federally mandated organization building on our proud history and reimagining the possibilities of transportation:
- We built Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in 1939 as Toronto’s main airport, and we continue to own and operate it to this day—a unique asset for a Canadian port authority. The airport provides essential downtown connectivity, supporting Toronto’s regional air travel and driving tourism, medical transport, and economic growth (welcoming two million passengers and approximately $2 billion in economic impact each year).
- We own and operate the marine Port of Toronto, which includes business sectors such as marine shipping, cargo services and media production, generating $460 million in economic activity and welcoming more than 18,000 passengers through our Cruise Ship Terminal in 2024.
- We own and operate the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada’s largest freshwater marinas.
Our sustainability measures (such as our trash-trapping program, fully electric ferry service and use of Bullfrog Power to reduce carbon emissions) make us leaders in ensuring the future-readiness of Toronto’s waterfront.
We are committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities. We have invested more than $30 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto’s waterfront and beyond.
We are a unique port authority for a unique city, fuelled by our belief that a world-class waterfront benefits from the “theatre of the harbour”: a vibrant, multi-use space balancing industry, economic development, shipping, travel, recreation, creativity, environmental initiatives and residential development.
OUR NAME
Over the years, we’ve gone by several names:
In 2015, we renamed the organization PortsToronto to reflect our ownership of both a marine port and an airport. In 2026, after a review of our operations, business units and strategic plan, we determined that returning to our legal name as the Toronto Port Authority would offer greater clarity to stakeholders and better represent our priorities and mandate. This unified name and brand instantly conveys our purpose and jurisdiction, reaffirming our responsibility to serve the people and city of Toronto through our ownership of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, the Port of Toronto, the Cruise Ship Terminal and the Outer Harbour Marina.
We began as the Toronto Harbour Commissioners in 1911.
In 1999, the Canada Marine Act established our organization as the Toronto Port Authority And this has remained our legal name to this day.
OUR VISION
Our vision, Transportation Reimagined, calls for transformative change, reflective of our determination to support and enhance the economy, protect the environment and preserve a high quality of life across our region.
OUR PURPOSE
Formalized in 2023 under the banner Transportation Reimagined our purpose reflects a multifaceted commitment to the communities in which we live and work.
Deliver bold solutions for connectivity, economic opportunity and quality of life.
Bold Solutions highlights the Toronto Port Authority’s determination to go beyond conventional approaches and demonstrates a willingness to innovate and address complex challenges directly.
Connectivity underscores our role as a critical link between Canada’s largest city, our waterfront and the broader transportation network in which the Toronto Port Authority has always played a major part.
Economic Opportunity reflects the Toronto Port Authority’s dedication to driving local, regional and national prosperity.
Quality of Life speaks to our holistic approach to the Toronto Port Authority’s impact on the city.
OUR VALUES
- People First
- Collaborative
- Sustainable
- Safety & Security
- Integrity
Our Businesses
With 85 years on Toronto’s waterfront, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is an important international gateway and a key driver of Toronto’s economy, generating more than $2.1 billion in total economic output and supporting 4,450 jobs, including 2,080 directly associated with the airport’s operations. It connects leisure and business travellers directly into Toronto’s downtown core, just steps from the financial district and urban attractions, and is accessible by foot, bike or public transport.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport facilitates healthcare for Ontarians by providing a base for medevac services connected to local hospitals. The airport is also home to two Fixed Base Operators, Heli Tours, as well as a personal and general aviation community that includes approximately 50 private planes and two flight schools.
The Port of Toronto is an economic engine, driving investment, tourism and trade, and key piece of infrastructure within the transportation ecosystem servicing the Greater Toronto Area, generating over $460 million in economic activity in Ontario and unlocking sustainable marine connectivity into the heart of Canada’s largest city.
More than two million metric tonnes of cargo transit through the Port of Toronto each year, providing the sugar for our coffee, the salt for our roads and the raw materials needed for Toronto’s booming construction industry, including cement, aggregate and steel.
The Port of Toronto is also a gateway for cruise travel and hub for film and television production that blends seamlessly into Toronto’s iconic waterfront.
Just outside the Toronto Harbour and a short walk from Tommy Thompson Park and nature preserve, the Outer Harbour Marina (OHM) offers a unique escape from city life right on the doorstep of the bustling downtown area.
As one of the largest freshwater marinas in Ontario, the Outer Harbour Marina has more than 625 extra-wide slips that can accommodate boats up to 100 feet long. The only docking facility of its kind in Toronto, the OHM also boasts heated indoor boat storage.
Our real estate and property holdings include 5 Queens Quay West, Pier 6 and various water and land lots along the waterfront. These properties are leased to other businesses and some have the potential for redevelopment.