Waterfront Elementary Students Name PortsToronto’s New Tugboat “Iron Guppy”

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Toronto (December 18, 2015) – Elementary school students from Toronto’s waterfront schools put on their thinking caps this month to help name the Iron Guppy –  PortsToronto’s new tugboat. From a longlist of nearly 70 names developed by students from kindergarten up to Grade 6, the list was narrowed to five names by a panel of judges and put to a public vote. Over the span of 17 days, more than 160 votes were cast and the winning name was announced today.

The  judging panel that narrowed the list that would ultimately form the basis for the vote was comprised of Marilyn Bell, the first person to swim across Lake Ontario and for whom the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport ferry is named; Mike Filey, Toronto Sun columnist; and Angus Armstrong, Harbour Master and Chief of Security for PortsToronto. The five finalist names were as follows:

  • Harbour Helper
  • Mayflower III
  • Iron Guppy
  • Toronto Tugger
  • Waterfront Waves

The names provided by students touch on various themes, from historical references (the Mayflower was among the first Toronto Island ferries) to capturing the caring and helpful spirit of tugboats as they appear throughout literature.

“By enlisting students from Toronto’s waterfront schools to help name PortsToronto’s new tugboat, we were aiming to  engage with young community members and provide a fun opportunity to learn about various aspects of the Port and Harbour that is in the heart of their neighbourhood,” said Deborah Wilson, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs, PortsToronto. “We are thrilled to see the students and community’s enthusiasm to participate, with 12 classrooms sending in their most creative ideas and more than 160 votes cast to decide the final name.”

The Iron Guppy will be replacing the William Rest, which was built in 1961 for the Toronto Harbour Commission (now PortsToronto). It will work in the Toronto harbour and Port of Toronto to provide a variety of marine services, including dredging and icebreaking. When necessary, the tugboat will also provide emergency assistance to the Toronto Police Service and Toronto Fire Service marine units. The new tugboat will be put into service in the summer of 2016.

About PortsToronto (http://www.portstoronto.com/)

For more than 100 years PortsToronto, (formerly the Toronto Port Authority), has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomes more than two million passengers each year; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Terminals 51 and 52, which provide transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $8 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.

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Media Contact:

Erin Mikaluk
Senior Manager, Communications & Media Relations, PortsToronto
Tel: (416) 863-2065; Cell: (647) 298-0544E-mail: emikaluk@portstoronto.com