Building Storeys: The Trillium

For over a century, the Trillium has provided Torontonians with a steam-driven perspective of Toronto Harbour and Toronto Island.

By Jamie Bradburn

Every year, Heritage Toronto works with local photographers to create Building Storeys, a visual documentation and anecdotal exhibit of our city’s heritage sites. This year’s exhibit—which is on view at the Steam Whistle Roundhouse throughout the month of May—is dedicated to rail and marine transportation. Over the course of the month, Torontoist and Heritage Toronto are exploring the context for Building Storeys; today we look at The Trillium, a steam-powered island ferry that launched more than 100 years ago and runs to this day.

When the Trillium celebrated its centennial in 2010, Mayor David Miller recognized the steam-driven side paddle-wheeled boat as the heart of the city’s ferry service, “truly a piece of history that is unique to Toronto.” The last of its kind to remain in service in North America, the amazing thing about the Trillium is that it returned to duty after nearly two decades of neglect. Click on the photo above to start our slideshow history of the ferry.