After years of growing frustration with reckless jet ski users and personal watercraft operators along the Toronto waterfront, the city is stepping up with a plan.
As of April 2026, City Hall is moving forward with an aggressive new Personal Watercraft Safety Plan designed to reclaim the waterfront for swimmers and paddlers while effectively freezing out “bad actors” from city-owned infrastructure.
While a total city-wide ban on the machines themselves isn’t yet outlined, the new restrictions on city-owned docks and launch sites represent a significant tightening of the noose for jet ski enthusiasts and rental operators.
Under the plan set to be considered by Mayor Olivia Chow’s executive committee, the city is partnering with PortsToronto to establish Motorized Watercraft Exclusion Zones (MWEZ). These zones will prohibit jet skis and motorized boats within 150 to 200 metres of the shoreline at Hanlan’s Point Beach, Humber Bay Shores, and Woodbine Beach.
By 2027, the city aims to expand these dead zones to Marie Curtis Park, Humber Bay Park, and Bluffer’s Beach Park. For jet ski users, this means the primary access points they once used to launch or dock are becoming legally off-limits.
Enforcement
The primary catalyst for this crackdown regards safety and illegal commerce. Toronto Police and Bylaw officers have reported a surge in unlicensed rental companies operating directly off city docks and beaches.
“Job number one is to keep our residents safe,” says Councillor Brad Bradford, a vocal supporter of the restrictions last summer. “They’re a menace to the community. It’s a matter of time before somebody gets injured or killed.”
Enforcement teams have been authorized to issue fines of up to $100,000 for unpermitted business activity on city land. The city’s current plan also includes stricter bylaw enforcement with enhanced police patrols to monitor speed and “competency” (proof of license), infrastructure lockouts by installing signage and physical barriers to prevent the beaching of jet skis for rental purposes, and lease audits, where boat clubs operating on city land will be reviewed to ensure they aren’t subletting space to commercial jet ski fleets.
The Backlash
Not everyone is cheering. Safe-operating rental owners argue that a blanket crackdown punishes legitimate businesses.
Unfortunately for them, with the 2026 summer season fast approaching, finding a place to legally touch the water in Toronto is about to get a lot more difficult.
The Executive Committee will vote on the final draft of the Personal Watercraft Safety Plan later this month. If passed, the new exclusion zones and docking restrictions will be in full effect by the May long weekend.
