How you can rent a friend with this new Ont. platform

A new online platform makes finding a new friend easy – but there’s a catch. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte explains.

Making friends isn’t easy for everyone, but a made-in-Waterloo Region service is hoping to change that.

The web-based app called Friendly Connections is helping people expand their social circle.

“In my childhood, I had a tough time connecting and doing activities I loved,” said Ethan Brooks, the platform’s CEO.

The 20-year-old entrepreneur from Breslau, Ont. grew up in the age of apps helping people making connections constantly, but more so in the romantic sense.

He saw a gap when it came to platonic connections.

“I want to create a platform for people who share similar interests as me and for people who also share the same issues which I’ve experienced previously,” said Brooks.

Friendly Connections let’s people pick a friend, which is a contractor for the site, who has a list of interests and preferred activities. Then, the customer pays that contractor an hourly rate to hangout with them. Rates range from $5 an hour to $25 an hour.

“For the first time I was hesitant, but after the first meeting it was awesome,” said contractor Ahsan Salman.

Salman works full-time in the local tech sector and works as a “friend” on the side. He said it also benefits contractors who make a connection.

“Sometimes people actually hire us for just a conversation about technology or business,” said Salman.

Customer Chris Hodgins says Friendly Connections helped his pick-up hockey team who needed an extra player in a pinch.

“It was very short notice and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll come. I’ll play with you guys.’ It worked out perfect, the guys loved him. They want him to play full time now,” said Hodgins.

He says the service can help people like him who are perhaps at a different stage in life.

“I find [my] age group, a lot of my friends now have young families and they’re just super busy with their kids playing sports,” said Hodgins.

When it comes to ensuring connections remain friendly and the platform isn’t abused for inappropriate purposes, the CEO says there are protections in place.

“For safety reasons we are limiting it to 18+,” said Brooks. “Our contractors are vetted through a background check and interview process.”

Both contractors and customers can chat before meeting up through the site to make sure they are both comfortable.

If any rules are broken, either party can be banned from using the service, with the focus always on making a friend and never feeling alone.