St. Joseph’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre

Learn more about testing requirements, what to expect and how to book your test by clicking on the links below.

Please note: The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at St. Michael’s is closed as of Friday, July 16 at 12 p.m. The St. Joseph’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre will remain open through the summer due to the ongoing needs of their surrounding community. Please check below for current hours of operation. To find a COVID-19 Assessment Centre close to you, please visit this City of Toronto webpage.

Appointments open 48 hours in advance and are released at 7 p.m. each day.

If you are booking an appointment for testing at the St. Joseph’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre (CAC), you must meet provincial testing guidelines. If you arrive at the Assessment Centres and do not meet the provincial guidelines, you will not be tested.

The Emergency Departments at St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s and the CIBC Just for Kids Clinic at St. Joseph’s are not available for routine COVID-19 testing. Only visit these areas if you require urgent care.

Construction alert – St. Joseph’s

Please be advised that the City of Toronto and TTC are currently doing construction work around St. Joseph’s. Please plan ahead for your appointment. More information on this impact.

We aim to see all patients at their scheduled appointment time but ask for your patience as you may need to wait before you’re seen. Wait times are expected to be less than one hour.

NEW: In alignment with updated guidance from the provincial government, travellers who are asymptomatic and require a test to confirm that they do not have COVID-19 before travelling internationally will need to seek testing at a participating, private centre for a fee. Travellers are no longer eligible to be tested for COVID-19 at our Assessment Centre.

NEW: One person can be tested in each time slot.

You will only be allowed to enter the Assessment Centre if you are being tested or if you are a guardian or caregiver for a family member in the same household (1 per family member). Children under the age of 14 should be accompanied by an adult.

Please ensure you arrive on time for your appointment. If you arrive early, please ensure you are prepared to wait outdoors. Appointments take up to 30 minutes – please schedule your transportation, such as Wheel-Trans, accordingly.

Click here to book a COVID-19 test.

Based on guidance from the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health, to be eligible for a COVID-19 test at the St. Joseph’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre, you must:

  • Be showing COVID-19 symptoms

OR

Testing in pharmacies is available to those not showing symptoms AND who are a resident or working in an at-risk setting, such as a long-term care home, homeless shelter or other congregate setting. See the full list of participating pharmacies here.

If you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19:

Scenario 1: If you saw the person who has COVID-19 only once, you should wait until at least 7 days after the day you saw them before getting tested.

Scenario 2: If you are a household contact of someone with COVID-19, or had ongoing exposure to the person with COVID-19, you should go for a test as soon as possible. If the first test was negative, you should go for a second test at least 10 days after your most recent exposure to the person. If your first was 7 or more days after your most recent exposure you do not need to test a second time unless you develop symptoms.

You should also get tested (even if it means getting tested again) if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19, including new or worsening:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Muscle aches or joint pain
  • Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath)
  • Tiredness
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Runny nose
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea)

If you test positive at any time, Toronto Public Health will contact you and you will not need further testing. Even if your tests are negative, you will need to continue to self-isolate for the full 14 days from your last contact with the person who has COVID-19.

You can find more about this on the City of Toronto website here.

St. Joseph’s Health Centre

Sunnyside Building, 1st floor – enter through the Sunnyside Avenue entrance

  • 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
  • BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

St. Michael’s Hospital – closed as of July 16

To find a COVID-19 Assessment Centre close to you, please visit this City of Toronto webpage.

What to bring:

A valid Ontario Health card, if you have one, as it will help you access your test results online when they are available.

What will happen when you arrive:

  • You will be asked to clean your hands.
  • You will be given a mask and asked to put it on.
  • You will be screened.
  • If you meet the provincial testing guidelines , you will be seen by a member of our health care team in an isolated space.

Please note: Translation services are available.

You can find your COVID-19 test results by visiting the following website: covid-19.ontario.ca.

You need to have your OHIP number ready to check your results through the website. Our average turnaround times are between 48-72 hours. In the event of an unexpected surge in volume, turnaround times may be longer.

Please note: In order to access your results online once they are available, you will need to bring a valid green Ontario photo health card with you to the Assessment Centre when you come for a test. Those who do not bring their health card, who have an old red and white health card or who do not have a valid health card will not be able to access their results online.

You can also access your result through MyChart at https://www.mychart.ca/if you have already registered for MyChart.

We screen and test children who meet the provincial testing guidelines at our St. Joseph’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre. Use the COVID-19 decision guide tool for schools for more information on when your child should be tested for COVID-19.

Please click here for a document with helpful tips for preparing your child for a COVID-19 test.

Download a form to submit to your school/daycare when your child is ready to return, based on Public Health guidelines.

In alignment with guidance from the provincial government, travellers who are asymptomatic and require a test to confirm that they do not have COVID-19 before travelling internationally will need to seek testing at a participating, private centre for a fee. Travellers are not eligible to be tested for COVID-19 at our Assessment Centre.

Please contact your local pharmacy to see whether they are offering COVID-19 testing for travellers.

Last updated July 30, 2021