TORONTO (WIVB) — Hoverlink Ontario Inc. is hoping to make travel from St. Catharines to Toronto a little quicker.

The company says it’s in the final approval stages to launch a year-round travel service that takes both tourists and commuters across the water. And it would only take half an hour, Hoverlink says.

Utilizing “high-speed, eco-friendly and weatherproof hovercrafts,” Hoverlink says these would be “the first of their kind in North America and run quieter than a standard dishwasher.”

Noting how their low-emission engines are a greener option for many travelers, Hoverlink says “the crafts ‘hover’ on a cushion of air above the water (hence the name ‘hovercraft’), so they leave virtually no wake or wash, and unlike traditional boats and ferries, they cause no harm to shorelines and protection efforts along Lake Ontario.”

They say members of both the Canadian and United States militaries have used similar crafts “for decades.”

According to Google Maps, it normally takes a little more than an hour and 20 minutes to travel from Port Weller, St. Catharines to Ontario Place, Toronto by car.

The hope is to get this new service up and running next summer. Hoverlink says there could be “up to 48 lake crossings per day” with each vessel having the ability to hold up to 180 passengers.

“Hoverlink’s hovercraft service will unite families to sporting events, theatre, concerts, adult gaming and one of the natural wonders of the world in 30 minutes,” Michael Clemons from Hoverlink’s Board of Directors said.