Staring next summer, a new high-speed hovercraft service across Lake Ontario – the first of its kind in North America – could cut travel time between Toronto and the Niagara Region down to 30 minutes.

Operated by Hoverlink Ontario Inc., which says it has entered the final stage of approval, the service will operate between Ontario Place in downtown Toronto and Port Weller in St. Catharines, Ont., a trip that can take about two hours by car or train.

“What this means for families across our country is potentially game changing,” Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Hoverlink’s chief government relations officer and former Toronto Argonauts star, says.

The company says the service will complete 48 rides each day, carrying up to 180 passengers on each trip. The hovercraft is designed to operate on land, water, and ice, making it available for trips year-round.

But why is there currently no transportation across Lake Ontario?

Spirit of Ontario 1, a fast-ferry company offering journeys from Toronto to Rochester, N.Y. had tried operating fleets across Lake Ontario in 2004. However, the company only lasted two season before succumbing to financial restraints.

“I think the real difference is the craft itself,” says Clemons, who explains that significant advancements in hovercraft technology have allowed for safe travel to occur across Lake Ontario year-round.

Hoverlink said the hovercraft will be a green alternative form of travel as it will limit the number of cars travelling on Queen Elizabeth Highway. In addition, the hovercraft will leave virtually no wake and not harm the shorelines