The walk from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to a licensed dispensary, and what the City and province actually say about cannabis on the ferry and Toronto Island.
Sugar Beach Cannabis is a licensed dispensary about a 17-minute walk east of the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, at 192 Queens Quay East. Before you plan around it, though, know this: the City of Toronto says the ferry terminal and all ferries are smoke- and vape-free, and Toronto Island Park has its own restrictions.
This guide covers both halves of the search: how to get from the ferry docks to the store, and what the rules actually say about cannabis on the ferry and the Island, with links to the official City and provincial pages.
From the ferry terminal to the store
The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal is at 9 Queens Quay West, at the foot of Bay Street behind the Westin Harbour Castle. The store is due east along the water.
- Leave the terminal and head east along Queens Quay, toward Yonge Street.
- At Yonge Street, Queens Quay West becomes Queens Quay East.
- Keep going east past the Redpath sugar refinery.
- Pass Sugar Beach, with its pink umbrellas, at the foot of Lower Jarvis Street.
- About 3 minutes later you will reach Sherbourne Common. The store is at 192 Queens Quay East, Unit A5, right beside it.
Allow about 17 minutes. TTC bus routes also run along Queens Quay East.
What the rules say: ferry, terminal and Island
Here is what the official sources say, in one place.
| Where | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Layton Ferry Terminal | Smoke- and vape-free | City of Toronto ferry page |
| On board the ferries | Smoke- and vape-free | City of Toronto ferry page |
| Any boat being driven | No consuming cannabis, including eating it | Ontario cannabis laws |
| Swimming beaches in City parks | No smoking | City of Toronto parks bylaw page |
| Within 20 m of playgrounds, sports fields, splash pads, picnic shelters, washrooms and more in City parks | No smoking or vaping, including cannabis | City of Toronto parks bylaw page |
| Service lines and waiting areas in City parks | No smoking | City of Toronto parks bylaw page |
On the ferry
The City's ferry ticket and passenger information page says the terminal and all ferries are smoke- and vape-free, so smoking is not allowed in the waiting area or on board. Separately, Ontario's cannabis laws say you cannot consume cannabis, whether by smoking, vaping or eating, in a vehicle or boat that is being driven or will be driven.
On the Island
Toronto Island Park is a City of Toronto park, so the City's park rules apply. The City's parks bylaw page says that in parks you cannot smoke or vape, including cannabis, within 20 metres of:
- sports fields
- playgrounds and playground equipment
- wading pools and splash pads
- outdoor swimming pools and pool decks
- covered picnic shelters and gazebos
- outdoor theatre spaces
- public washrooms
You also cannot smoke on swimming beaches, in service lines or waiting areas, in designated off-leash dog areas, or in zoo and farm areas.
The Island beaches
The City's Toronto Island page lists four beaches and how far each is from its ferry dock:
- Centre Island Beach (Manitou Beach): about a 10-minute walk south from the Centre Island Ferry Dock.
- Gibraltar Point Beach: between Hanlan's Point and Centre Island, about 20 minutes from the Centre Island Ferry Dock.
- Hanlan's Point Beach: about 15 minutes from the Hanlan's Point Ferry Dock.
- Ward's Island Beach: about 5 minutes south of the Ward's Island Ferry Dock.
Smoking is not allowed on swimming beaches in City parks, and every playground, picnic shelter, splash pad and washroom in a City park carries its own 20-metre buffer. Between the two, the restrictions cover many of the spots visitors use most, so read posted signs carefully.
Carrying cannabis on the trip
Federal law lets adults carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis, or its equivalent, in public. Health Canada's possession calculator helps if you are carrying more than one product type.
Keep products in their original, sealed packaging and out of sight in a bag. If you are spending the day around children, keep products well out of their reach. For the full set of public-use rules, see our guide to where you can smoke cannabis in Toronto and our explainer on possession limits in Ontario.
Shopping on your way to or from the docks
It is often simpler to visit the store on the way home from the ferry rather than on the way over, so there is nothing to carry around the Island all day. Either way works.
- Browse the live menu. Every product shows a regular price and a lower member price.
- Order online.
- Walk over, show government-issued photo ID (19+ only), pay and pick up in store.
Walk-ins are welcome.
What is on the menu
Dried flower, pre-rolls and blunts, vapes (510-thread cartridges and all-in-one disposables), edibles, beverages, extracts and concentrates such as rosin, live resin, diamonds and hash, and oils and drops. People choose by THC and CBD content and terpene profile. Start low and go slow with anything new, and talk to a healthcare provider about medical use.
Visiting from out of town?
If you are a visitor taking the ferry for the day, our guide to buying cannabis in Toronto as a visitor covers ID, limits and where you can use it, and the Harbourfront guide covers the walk along Queens Quay West.
Visit Sugar Beach Cannabis
Sugar Beach Cannabis is at 192 Queens Quay East, Unit A5, Toronto, ON M5A 3Y4, about a 17-minute walk east of the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Order online and pick up in store from the live menu, or walk in with your ID.
Questions? Call 437-780-0285, email tim@sugarbeachcannabis.com or use the contact page. Read more about the store.
Frequently asked questions
How far is the dispensary from the Toronto Island ferry?
Sugar Beach Cannabis at 192 Queens Quay East, Unit A5, is about a 17-minute walk east of the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at 9 Queens Quay West. Walk east along Queens Quay past Sugar Beach to Sherbourne Common.
Can you smoke cannabis on the Toronto Island ferry?
No. The City of Toronto says the ferry terminal and all ferries are smoke- and vape-free. Ontario also says you cannot consume cannabis, including edibles, in a vehicle or boat that is being driven.
Can you smoke cannabis on Toronto Island beaches?
The City of Toronto bans smoking on swimming beaches in City parks, and bans smoking or vaping, including cannabis, within 20 metres of playgrounds, sports fields, picnic shelters, washrooms and other park features. Check the City's parks bylaw page and posted signs.
Can I bring cannabis to Toronto Island?
Adults can carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis, or its equivalent, in public under federal law. Keep it sealed and out of reach of children, and given the ferry and park rules, the simplest choice is to use it at home.
This article is general information about cannabis rules and products in Ontario, not legal or medical advice. Rules change: check the official sources linked above. Cannabis is for adults 19+. Never drive impaired.
