Cruise ship terminal in the works for the heart of Toronto's waterfront

A new marine terminal could soon welcome cruise ships and other large vessels at the foot of Toronto's longest street.

The Toronto Port Authority (formerly Ports Toronto) is pursuing plans to construct a new "multi-use marine terminal" at the south end of Yonge St., potentially bringing a major new influx of tourism to the city's bustling central waterfront.

The Port Authority issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on March 5, seeking bids from firms or consortia "with the necessary experience, qualifications, and resources to deliver a comprehensive Business Plan for the development of a new multi-use Marine Terminal at the Yonge Street Slip."

The RFP seeks submissions with a deadline of April 2 for a new marine terminal and pier extending from the foot of Yonge St.

Local tourism organization Destination Toronto calls the marine terminal "a new Great Lakes gateway, noting that the "transformative infrastructure project would serve as both a multi-use marine transportation hub and an iconic gateway to the city."

Though plans are still in their earliest stages, Destination Toronto notes that "the development will include a new marine terminal, public plaza, and pier anchored by a signature architectural landmark."

The new terminal would support tourism through accommodating passenger cruise ships, marine transit services, and other recreational boaters.

Currently, the site of the planned pier's land-side is occupied by a surface parking lot envisioned to be transformed into a future City of Toronto park.

For decades, the Yonge St. slip was the site of the infamous Captain John's floating seafood restaurant. The ship that housed the former restaurant was finally hauled away from the site in 2015, destined for the scrap yard.