43°38′N 79°23′W · Lake Ontario, Toronto Harbour, Humber Bay
Ontario · Launch April–May, haul-out October
Boat storage in Toronto Waterfront
Winter storage, haul-out and the work around it on Lake Ontario, Toronto Harbour, Humber Bay. Send your boat details and we come back with spots that fit your LOA, budget and season.
Toronto Waterfront at a glance
- Waters
- Lake Ontario, Toronto Harbour, Humber Bay, Ashbridges Bay, Outer Harbour and Eastern Gap
- Towns and harbours
- Toronto, Humber Bay Shores, Etobicoke, Mimico, Queens Quay, Toronto Islands, Ashbridges Bay and The Beaches
- Season
- Launch April–May · haul-out October
- Typical boats
- Mostly sailboats from day-sailers to cruising keelboats (the Outer Harbour has a strong club-racing scene), plus power cruisers, runabouts and trailerable boats.
- Storage from
- from $60/ft per winter outdoor · compare prices
Region summary from public sources. Each yard sets its own dates and rates.
The boating year here
Lake Ontario rarely freezes over completely, but ice builds along the shore and in shallow, sheltered bays, so in-water winter storage needs ice protection. Exact launch and haul-out dates are set by each marina and vary with the weather.
- Launch
- Boating season
- Haul-out
- On the hard / in storage
What storage looks like here
The Toronto waterfront is almost entirely urban, so the question is usually where a boat can sit for the winter rather than how deep the water is. With the harbour already shrunk by infilling, owners compare marina yards, trailer storage and sites outside the city.
Marina pages in Toronto show a mix of outdoor land storage (haul-out, then boats on stands, blocking or cradles, with separate pricing for trailered boats and for trailers and cradles) and a limited number of in-water winter berths for larger boats. One port authority marina says it offers heated indoor storage that no other GTA marina has. Demand is shaped by a fully built-up waterfront where yard space is limited.
Toronto Waterfront storage prices
| Item | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Outdoor winter storage | from $60/ft per winter |
| Indoor winter storage (cold) | from $90/ft per winter |
| Shrink-wrap | from $20/ft |
| Haul-out or launch | from $12/ft each way |
| Seasonal slip | from $95/ft per season |
Starting prices in CAD before tax, from published marina and port rates and market estimates, October 2026. Your boat, the yard and the dates set the final price.
Local knowledge
- The Western Gap is a channel about 120 m wide and the Eastern Gap is about 200 m wide. Both are the entrances to the inner harbour that boaters share with commercial vessels. source
- The Outer Harbour was developed in the 1950s and 1960s and is sheltered by the Outer Harbour East Headland breakwater. A City of Toronto marina sits at its east end and eight sailing clubs share a strip nearby. source
- The Toronto Islands shelter the inner harbour. Most of their land is parkland, with boat clubs, an airport and a small residential area. source
- Lake Ontario covers about 19,000 km2, with an average depth of 86 m and a maximum depth of 244 m. source
- The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board oversees Lake Ontario outflows, which are regulated under the International Joint Commission's Orders of Approval. source
- Infilling has cut the harbour area from about 2,150 acres in 1834 to about 1,210 acres today. source
- A marina run by the Toronto Port Authority (PortsToronto) has more than 620 slips, opened in 1989 and states that it is the only GTA marina with heated indoor storage. source
- Everyone who operates a power-driven boat in Canada needs proof of competency, most commonly a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. source
Toronto Waterfront boat storage questions
When do boats usually come out of the water in Toronto?
Most owners haul out in October, once the weather turns and marinas start their winter land-storage season. One Toronto-area marina lists its winter land storage as running October to May. Exact dates depend on each marina's schedule and the weather, so book your haul-out slot well before fall.
Can I keep my boat in the water over winter on Lake Ontario?
Some marinas offer in-water winter berths, but only for certain boats. One Toronto-area marina limits winter in-water live-aboard berths to boats of at least 30 ft and requires a full summer season with the marina first. Lake Ontario ice forms along shorelines and in sheltered bays, so check ice protection rules.
What do I need to do before moving my boat between Ontario lakes?
Ontario's clean, drain, dry guidance applies: remove plants and mud from the boat, motor and trailer, drain the transom, live wells and motor intakes, and either dry the boat for at least five sunny days or wash it with hot water over 50 C or pressurized water over 250 PSI. Never move aquatic plants or animals between waters.
Elsewhere in Ontario
- Mississauga and Oakville Waterfront Lake Ontario, Credit River
- Hamilton and Burlington Hamilton Harbour (Burlington Bay), Burlington Canal
- Niagara and Lake Erie Lake Ontario (Niagara shore), Niagara River
- Lake Simcoe and Couchiching Lake Simcoe, Kempenfelt Bay
- Muskoka Lakes Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau
- Georgian Bay Georgian Bay, Nottawasaga Bay
- Kawarthas and Trent-Severn Waterway Trent-Severn Waterway, Pigeon Lake
- Kingston and Thousand Islands Eastern Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River
- Ottawa River and Rideau Canal Ottawa River, Rideau Canal
- Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County Bay of Quinte, Adolphus Reach
Tell us about your boat. We find the spot.
Storage type, LOA, region and season. We check what is open near you and reply by email with options and prices.