Those looking to escape to the Toronto islands will be able to grab a ferry ticket through their smartphone this summer and skip the line.
Mayor John Tory announced Friday that starting Saturday tickets will be available through Ritual, a locally made app letting users order ahead at restaurants and cafes.
The pilot program will run through to the end of August, and is aimed at boosting the number of online ticket orders. Tory said if the app-ticket trial is a hit they’ll look to extend it.
Tickets have been available through the city’s website since last year, but it’s used for just one in four purchases.
Tory said the site “is not as mobile-friendly as it should be,” something he said the city needs to do better on in the digital age.
In addition to the app tryout, the city has dedicated one of the kiosks for checking pre-purchased tickets.
Signage will also be improved to that effect, and Tory said more needs to be done to make the journey through the ferry terminal easier.
“People are only going to really truly enjoy the experience of going to the island if they have a more enjoyable experience of being in line.”
The popular park hit a record 1.3 million ferry-riding visitors last year, a number expected to increase another 15 per cent in 2016.
Tory said the city is “quite far advanced” in buying new ferries to replacing the aging fleet, with the first of a yet-to-be-determined number of new boats due to enter service in 2018.
With a file from Peter Kim