Surf Cat

It may be the dead of winter in Ontario, but summer arrives early in Toronto with the return of the Toronto International Boat Show.

North America’s largest indoor boat show docks at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place from Jan. 17-26, with over 1,200 new boats on display, more than 300 free seminars from a wide-ranging lineup of speakers, and plenty of lifestyle programming for the avid boater and the boating-curious alike.

Spanning over a million square feet of show space, the Toronto International Boat Show has more than 550 exhibitors offering a wide range of products to get out on the water and enjoy the boating lifestyle.

About 43 per cent of Canadians (12.4 million people) participate in boating, and 20 per cent (six million) own a boat.

Among the exhibitors attending the 62nd annual Toronto International Boat Show are more than 30 Simcoe County businesses, including:

• From Midland, Penetanguishene and Tiny — Bay Port Yachting Centre, Canadian Yachting Magazine, Central Marine, CO2 Inflatables Midland, Factory Recreation, Maple Leaf Marinas Holdings Ltd., Wye Heritage Marina, Beacon Bay Marina, Boating Ontario Association, Hindson Marina Inc., Georgian Harbour Yacht Sales Inc., Minty’s Marine Service Inc. and Northwest Basin Marina.

• From Barrie and Innisfil — Canadian Yacht Tops, Northstar Marine Insurance Inc., St. Onge Recreation, One17 Marine, Transat Marine, Dewildt Marine and Powersports, Friday Harbour Resort Holdings Inc., Offshore Performance Marine (DBA DockinaBox) and Sandy Cove Marina Co. Ltd.

• From Orillia — Blue Beacon Marina, Bridge Port Marina, Crate’s Lake Country Boats, Leatherdale Marine, Marine Electric Technologies, MD Marine Insurance Ltd., Northshore Waterfront Solutions, On Your Way Marine, Ontario Provincial Police Marine, and the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce/Port of Orillia.

• From Stayner and Collingwood — Dyanna Dreams, Walker Financial Services and Southwinds Marine Inc.

• From Alliston — Island Products Canada.

Participation in the show is incredibly valuable to these local businesses, as they are getting in front of an enormous, engaged audience. More boats are purchased on-site than at any other place or event in Canada.

The Toronto International Boat Show is the largest indoor boat show in North America, generating more than $354 million in economic impact to the region. Direct revenues across Canada’s core recreational boating industry total nearly $5 billion per year, and directly employ approximately 45,000 Canadians.

Highlights of this year’s show include Ontario’s own Tammy Wolf, one of the most successful powerboat racers in North America and the only woman to podium at an F1 Champion boat race; the second annual Toronto Indoor Wakeboarding Championships, featuring the world’s best professional riders; treasure hunters Darrell Miklos and Jim Sinclair of the Discovery Channel’s hit show Cooper’s Treasure; and Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel, who will have fans going “nuts” as she returns from retirement to ride the waves.

The Toronto International Boat Show runs from Jan. 17-26 at Toronto’s Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place. Tickets are on sale now at .

Disclaimer: Poll results are not scientific. As the informal findings of a survey presented to the readers of Simcoe.com, they reflect the opinions of those readers who have chosen to participate. The survey is available online to anyone who is interested in taking it.