Water-bus operators waiting for feds to approve bigger, better boat

After launching with much fanfare last summer, the water-bus service stationed at The Forks has been docked while the owners wait for a new boat with improved amenities to get government approval.

Winnipeg Waterways, which has operated boat tours at The Forks since May 2024, launched Winnipeg’s only water-bus service with two small pontoon boats tasked with transporting people to docks around the city centre last August.

Co-owner Will Belford said it quickly became clear the boats were too old and not able to meet the level of demand.

“There was more than once that we had to leave someone on the dock waiting because we couldn’t fit them on the boat, and so we got some pretty instant feedback from folks about their user experience,” Belford said Friday.

“While we were aware of our shortcomings right away, because it was our first year doing it, we wanted at least a full season of activity to see, ‘OK, once the dust settles, what really happened?’”

With plans to extend service and add more stops, Belford and fellow co-owner Griffin Hewitt designed and purchased a larger customized boat that could be used for tours as well as bus services, and has a washroom on board and other comfort amenities.

But Belford said Transport Canada is taking longer than expected to approve the boat as a passenger vessel, so the company has decided to hold off on returning until the new boat is ready to go.

“Without the the new larger boat, we’ll be in the exact same position we were last year, of actually having too much demand, and we want the experience to be good for folks, we want folks to get on when they want to get on,” he said.

While he said he hopes the boat is approved for business by mid-August, in time to squeak out a short summer season, there’s no planned start date in sight yet.

The Forks, which has provided financing for the new boat, said the old pontoons needed constant repairs, and delays resulted in “unhappy passengers.”

“We’re all looking forward to getting the water-bus service going again… we’re in constant contact with Winnipeg Waterways on this,” Forks communications manager Blair Malazdrewich said in an email.

“While we don’t have a confirmed date for when the service will start up this year, we all hope it’s very soon.”

Winnipeg Waterways is still operating its regular tours. Before the company took up river tours at The Forks, a water-bus service run by a previous tour operator shut down in 2018.

The daily bus service launched in August of last year, after a delay at the time caused by high water levels. Buses were scheduled every 15 minutes, and a $6 single-way fare took passengers to various docks, including the Manitoba legislature and Esplanade Riel.

The six-week season saw hundreds of visitors and was almost constantly at capacity, mostly in the afternoons and evenings, Belford said.

“As much as it really is disappointing that we don’t have the boat in time for Winnipeg’s short, fast, hot summer season, we do know that we’re putting the leg work in,” he said.

“We feel confident that we’ve taken the time to design it, we’re taking the time to make sure it’s safe and well-constructed, so that we’re going to have this boat in the water operating as the water bus for the next 10 years-plus.”

Passenger vessels are subject to inspections by Transport Canada and need to meet several safety standards before being cleared for business. No city permits are required to operate river tours outside of basic business licences.

A spokesperson for Transport Canada said their review of the boat was “on track” to be completed, but did not offer a timeline.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca