This website lets you know wait times at GTA COVID-19 testing centres

A Toronto man found the largest pain point for people looking to get a COVID-19 test: the wait. And hoping to ease the Greater Toronto Area residents' pain, Ben Harris built a website called covidwaits.com, which crowdsources information about COVID-19 testing centres. 

The Toronto startup consultant found himself waiting for hours to get tested, and there wasn't an online resource that let him know where it was best to go without wasting so much time.

"My takeaway was, I wish someone would have told me that the Etobicoke drive-thru was five hours before I left my house," Harris told CTV News Toronto. "And the second thing was I wish there was a way that I could check the wait times before I went so that I could make the most informed decision about where to go."

The website relies on the kindness of those at the hospitals and healthcare centres, so others will find out how long they have to wait before getting a test. Harris said the more people upload wait times; the more accurate the site's data will be.

"In line, once you're already there suffering through the wait time, hopefully, you can post something to help out a fellow Torontonian so that they don't have to go through the same experience that you're going through," Harris explained.

Users don't have to worry about their privacy. Harris says he doesn't track the users.

"I don't want to know anything about anybody. All I want to know is what testing centre you're referring to and what the wait time is. Other than that, nothing. There's no login, there's no user tracking, nothing."

He's not looking to monetize the site, either. Harris just wants to help those who are looking to get tested in the GTA.