FAQs

Yes. The four Ambassador levels will be back in 2023!  

The levels are:  

Bronze: $5,000 raised personally and/or Team Captains who recruit 5+ Riders who raise at least the minimum.  

Silver: $7,500 raised personally and/or Team Captains who recruit 8+ Riders who raise at least the minimum.  

Gold: $12,5000 raised personally and/or Team Captains who recruit 12+ Riders who raise at least the minimum.  

Platinum: $20,000 raised personally and/or Team Captains who recruit 20+ Riders who raise at least the minimum.  

June 10^th and 11^th, 2023
Check back for schedule of weekend events coming soon! 
 

Please send in your cheque donations with the Offline Donation Form or Team Donation Form to the following mailing address: 
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
Mail: P.O. Box 247, Stn A, Etobicoke, ON M9C 4V3  

Our office location and address to send courier deliveries is: 
c/o The Ride to Conquer Cancer, 700 University Ave., 4th floor Toronto, ON M5G 1Z5  
 

Every rider is provided with a sleeping tent at our midway campsite (McMaster University in Hamilton, ON). In addition, you also have the option to either stay onsite in one of the McMaster dorm rooms (at your own cost and limited supply) or offsite at one of our suggested alternate accommodation locations (once again, at your own cost and limited supply).

This information and more will be provided on our website soon.

We provide a transportation service for Riders and any luggage/gear throughout event weekend. Riders will drop off their luggage/gear at the start line in Toronto to be transported to the overnight campsite in Hamilton with the same service for Day 2 to the finish line. We also provide a shuttle service for participants back to Toronto following the ride!
 

We will post a suggested gear list on the Event Details page in the coming weeks!
 

These are the 2022 maps, which are subject to change for 2023. 
Day 1
Day 2
Hammer
 

For your safety, we request that all riders register with us before getting on the route in order to participate in all the safety and fun aspects of the event!

1-Day Toronto to Hamilton Route Registrants: the current minimum fundraising amount is $2,000

2-Day Toronto to Niagara Route Registrants: the current minimum fundraising amount is $2,500 

Hammer Route: the current minimum fundraising amount is $4,000

• This event strives to fulfill a bold goal: Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime. It takes significant fundraising to fuel the breakthrough research and compassionate care initiatives at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
• The minimum is put in place as a bold but achievable goal to help raise a significant amount of money for cancer research. Without this minimum, we would not be able to continue raising record-breaking amounts of money for cancer research and new standards of care for all Canadians who benefit from research at The Princess Margaret.
• We deliver an event that enables our participants to challenge themselves and secure support from their friends, families and colleagues that they never thought was possible before. Riders sign up with a commitment to make the biggest impact possible.
• From the moment they register, our Riders will have access to a full support system. Friendly Ride Guides are available to guide participants every step of the way: fundraising tips, training advice and support every step of the way!
• We provide fundraising tools and resources to help our Riders with their fundraising.
• The website allows participants to access their own personal webpage where they can receive donations instantly thanks to a secured hyperlink.

• The fundraising associated with this event is an individual goal and we want every participant to have the satisfaction of achieving it via their own means, with the ongoing support of our Ride Guides. We have raised an unprecedented amount of funds for cancer research due to the unwavering commitment of the community to fight this disease.
• We encourage Riders to support one another's fundraising campaigns and provide equal opportunity and treatment to all Riders. The minimum is put in place as a bold but achievable goal to help raise a very significant amount of money for The Princess Margaret. Without this minimum in place, we would not be able to raise record-breaking amounts of money for Personalized Cancer Medicine research.
• Team fundraising is also a good way to work together and distribute funds among your team members before they are processed. Once they are processed, funds cannot be moved between Riders.
• We have many who arrive at the event having spent the past several months of their lives coming up with creative ways to not just meet, but exceed the fundraising minimum. We have people who have held car washes, organized garage sales, etc. and it would not be appropriate for us to discredit the efforts of those who worked to reach and even exceed that goal by allowing people who have not met the minimum participate.
• We ask all Riders to take on the personal challenge to raise over $2,500 and ride over 200km. This really helps drive the fundraising for the event.
• It would also be a logistical/data challenge. Once the donation comes in, our database assigns this donation to the Rider, a receipt is issued, and the money gets assigned to the Specific Cancer site group that the Rider chose when they registered (i.e., Blood Cancers, Breast, Lung, etc…). To undo this would be a data challenge and would complicate the whole donations process.

• We make sure our Riders get the tools and assistance they need to achieve and surpass their goals.
• There are several options in place for those who come to the event and have not met their minimum as we absolutely want all of our participants there with us:
  • Riders can fill out what is called a delayed-self pledge (DSP) form approximately 30 days from the start of the event. This gives Riders the option to continue fundraising right up to the event date and if the minimum is not reached by then, the DSP enables riders to take an extra 60 days to reach their minimum amount.  If the amount is still not reached, and they participated in the event, the balance of funds needed will be charged to the participant via the credit card secured on the DSP form.
  • We are also always looking for more crew members or volunteers, therefore, anyone not able to Ride is encouraged to switch to a crew member.
  • Riders can participate “virtually”, defining their own personal challenge and ride anywhere they want.

You may cancel your ride, however, upon registration we hope all riders commit to meet the fundraising minimum of their route. The purpose of this event is to raise funds for cancer research at the Princess Margaret and all funds raised by Riders and Volunteers, whether they participate or not, will go to support our mission to Conquer Cancer. The fundraising minimum deadline is August 30th. Please note that in the event of a canceled registration, any donations received by a participant as of the date of their cancellation are not refundable to that participant or their donors. The Rider registration fee is not refundable or transferable.

Yes. Just mail in your cheque donation (we cannot accept cash). Each donation must have a completed donation form that has the Participant ID Number of the Rider or Crew Member you are sponsoring. You can download a copy of the donation form here. Please make sure to mail both items to the address indicated in the upper left corner of your donation form.

Please also ensure the donation is post marked by May 12th to ensure it appears on your fundraising page. Donations received after this day will still count towards your fundraising, however the funds may not appear on your personal page until post event.

Offline funds sent as wire transfers or gifts of securities and stocks can be received and linked to your total. Our Fundraising Resource page has a variety of Offline Donation Forms to help this process run smoothly for your Ride supporters. 

Yes, you can absolutely receive cash donations. But, please do not mail the cash to us! We don’t want it to get lost in the mail. Instead, write a cheque for the donation amount and mail it in with your donation form, just be sure to enter the donor’s information on the donation form. We no longer accept donations on behalf of someone else using credit cards. Please email us at RideGuides@thepmcf.ca or call us at [877] 699-BIKE [2453] for more information.

We make every effort to protect your personal information. The software we use for registrations and donations on our website uses industry-standard SSL encryption techniques to make sure that your credit card information, passwords, and personal information travel securely over the Internet. Credit card information is never stored in our database or our software provider's database. 

All donations go immediately to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer has raised over $230 million for the highest priority cancer research initiatives at The Princess Margaret. The return to the Foundation of 66% far exceeds what is considered by the industry as an acceptable return for an event of this magnitude. Proceeds from the event deliver breakthrough research, screening programs, exemplary teaching, and compassionate care at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. For more information about the use of funds from The Ride, please visit www.thepmcf.ca.

Yes, Donors can email the Ride Guides (rideguides@thepmcf.ca) to receive the forms to submit a gift of stock in either Canadian or United States dollars.

Use the yellow DONATE button to search by Individual, Team or click General Donation to donate to this year’s Ride event.
 

Simply click the ‘Donate’ button and search for the Rider’s name. After you click “Donate” next to their name, you will see at the top an option to donate in US funds and it will take you our US Donations webpage.

*Please be sure to specify in the “Additional Information” fields the rider’s name, email address, and Participant ID (if you have this).
 

Participants on teams are responsible for raising $2500 each. Donations should be made directly to the Participant pages, rather than pooling dollars as a team. Participation and Ride rewards (jerseys, helmet eligibility, etc) depend on each Rider hitting the required minimum on their individual page.

Team donations can still be collected to add to the overall team total. Donations from a single Donor intended for more than one Rider can be processed using our Team Offline Donation form and mailed to the address on the form.

If you would like to direct funds to someone on your team that needs support to hit the minimum, we suggest sharing the link to their personal Ride fundraising page in order to capture those funds directly.

Due to the number of gifts we are processing and managing, we cannot divide up donations made to Teams and move them to Rider pages at the end of the event. We ask that donations go directly to each Rider!
 

Contact rideguides@thepmcf.ca to communicate your request to move your donation. We understand this can happen in error and we want to be sure each Rider receives their Donors’ contributions. Everyone is working so hard to fundraise and we appreciate every single one of you!
 

For your safety, we request that all riders register with us before getting on the route in order to participate in all the safety and fun aspects of the event!

You can simply register and either select ‘Join as Captain of an existing team’ or ‘Create your own new team’. After you have set up the team, you can click the ‘Join Team’ button on your team page and share that link with your teammates!
Each Participant registers themselves and pays the registration fee.
 

Yes. Whether you participate in-person or virtually, registration fees are required and non-refundable. Your registration fees help cover administrative and operational costs related to the event. This way, more of the donations raised can be used for life-saving cancer research and care.

Safety is our #1 priority. We enlist the services of local police and volunteer ‘moto-crew’ (motorcyclists) who monitor the routes and help provide directions and signals at busy intersections.

We also produce an annual safety video that we advise every Rider to watch to ensure everyone is clear on the basic rules of the road.

Plus, in the current times where COVID remains on the minds of many participants, we follow the expert advice of government and healthcare providers to ensure we have a safe environment in which to participate.

For new riders embarking on their first long distance ride and returning riders who just ‘keep riding’, the Ride team hosts training events on Zwift and in person at locations around the Greater Toronto Area.

Our Ride Guides are also available to offer resources and training tips from our outfitters and fellow Riders who know their stuff about cycling.

Located at the start line and approximately every 25 KM are fully supported aid stations with washrooms, snacks, lunch, hydration and medical services if needed. Lunch is included at the half-way stop on each day. 

Breakdowns and flat tires happen.  But our mobile volunteer techs on bikes are on the whole course to help you with flat tires, chain breaks and other minor repairs.  In the case of a major repair, you can take the sweep vehicle (see below) to the next pit stop, where you can have your bike repaired by a qualified bike repair tech (some charges may apply depending on the repair). 

Volunteer, certified medical attendants patrol the routes and are situated at pit stops to help with minor medical issues, from pain relief remedies to minor first aid treatments.  

Included with your participation, we transport your personal belongings from the start line to Camp and then from Camp to the finish line in Niagara on Day 2.

At the finish line, drop off your bike and we'll bring it back to the start line for you. Then pick up your personal belongings that have been shipped from camp to the finish line. 

At the start line, Camp and finish line, we have an area to store your bike with 24-hour security. The wrist band and bike tag that you receive in May are used to confirm you are the owner of the bike you are taking from storage.  

When your ride is over on Day 2, we provide coach transportation back to the start line.

We have sleeping tents included for every Rider and McMaster Universtiy dorm rooms available at a special rate on a first-come, first served basis (booking opens in February). All meals are included along with other amenities provided by our amazing partners.  

After cycling over 100 KM on the first day, Riders can relax and enjoy a hot shower, sponsored camp amenities and the annual camp show. Then it’s off to an early sleep as Day 2 starts at 6am the next day.  

You take the challenge to ride over 200 KM but you do not have to finish every KM.  Our multi-passenger vans, driven by volunteers, patrol the routes along side Riders and are a phone call or hand signal away.  They will transport you to the next pit stop in the event of fatigue, technical breakdown or other reasons.   

The “caboose” is a volunteer support vehicle that follows the last Riders out from the start line to offer support if needed.  

This is where the epic cycling adventure begins. Everyone gathers on the morning of Day 1, check in their belongings and enjoy some breakfast, coffee and some inspirational words from our Princess Margaret leaders.  Then you hear: “Ready. Set. Ride!” and you’re off! 

In front of the scenic Niagara Falls, this is where friends, family and teammates cheer you across the finish line. You did it!  You rode over 200KM and have experienced an emotional, triumphant experience unlike anything before. For over 15 years, Riders have said: “This is an experience you didn’t know you needed”.