With a temporary break in Toronto ferry fares for younger and older residents, municipal officials say they saw an all-time record for usage earlier in August and that demand appears to be creating issues with crowding.According to a statement issued by City of Toronto officials to CityNews on Thursday, nearly 28,000 people collectively rode ferries to Ward’s Island, Centre Island and Hanlan’s point on the Civic Holiday Monday — an increase of approximately 10,000 people compared to the same day in 2025. They said Monday was the “highest single-day volume ever recorded on the ferry system.”Videos shared on social media recently appeared to show extensive crowding at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the foot of Bay Street. A post on TikTok purported to show major bunching to board a Centre Island ferry and described the lineup as “chaos.”City of Toronto officials noted it can take 30 to 60 minutes, or longer, during peak periods, to board a ferry. They said the Centre Island ferry can see the highest usage.During the last major meeting of Toronto city council at the end of July ahead of the fall municipal election, the body approved suspending Toronto ferry fares for youth and seniors throughout August after the federal government rejected a proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.Related:Chow, Malik celebrating ‘waterfront win’ with free Toronto Island ferry rides for kids, seniors in AugustCityNews spoke with several visitors going to or from Toronto Island Park on Thursday about the temporary fare policy and a surge in visitors.“Amazing, we took advantage of the fact that it is free for seniors so yeah that’s excellent,” one passenger said when asked about the temporary fare reprieve.“Totally come, I mean if it’s not this ferry it doesn’t take long for another ferry. It’s not like we’re so far from the island that people can’t get on during the day. You just have to be patient,” another person said.Harry Moffat, a captain with Toronto Harbour Water Taxi, told CityNews it has been a bit busier than normal recently, especially for two-way tickets.“It causes a lot of people to be over here in the later times when it’s a rush coming back, so I think it’s been good for business for us,” he said.Related:City warning of fraudulent websites selling fake ferry ride tickets“I think sometimes people don’t even fit on the ferries and that’s why it’s been so busy. It’ll be all these people coming over here at staggered times throughout the day and they all want to leave at the same time, and the ferries don’t have the capacity for that.”The Island Cafe reported strong sales in recent days, buoyed by increased ferry usage. The cafe’s manager told CityNews they went through more than 50 commercial tubs of ice cream over three days. “With the weather the way it has been, it’s been increasingly busy. On Friday, Saturday and Monday, our days were even busier than Canada Day,” Michaella Hawkins said.“It was quite busy last summer as well, but I feel like this year we have seen an increase in tourism.”What’s being done to address Toronto ferry wait times and capacity?CityNews asked municipal officials what’s being done to address reports of extreme crowding and long lines. The City of Toronto statement said a ferry vessel operates on each of the three routes, but a fourth relief ferry with a crew onboard remains on standby during the summer season and that extra trips are “scheduled based on passenger volumes.”Related:What to see and do at Toronto Island Park and along the Lake Ontario waterfront“We recognize that demand will continue be particularly high this month and city staff continue to monitor passenger volumes and manage crowds at the terminal to help ensure safe and orderly operations. This includes additional customer service representatives, security and overall staff to accommodate more passengers,” the statement said.Officials encouraged people to buy tickets through the City’s website ahead of time to minimize waiting. They also suggested people travel during off-peak weekday periods, such as leaving the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal before 10 a.m. and returning before 5 p.m.