Frequently Asked Questions

You can register online by clicking here. The steps are fairly straightforward, but you can call Parkinson Canada for support at 800-565-3000.

If you were registered for The Growling Beaver in a past year, you will be able to register as a returning cyclist using your username and password. If you can’t remember your username and password, you can get your username and password emailed to you here.

You do not need a pledge form if:

• If you register online and all your donors are online (online donations).
• If you put the donations through on your credit card and in the donor's name (to feed your thermometer).

If you are an offline cyclist, you will need to mail the full and completed pledge form and all the cash and cheques that you collected to: Parkinson Canada Growling Beaver, 316-4211 Yonge Street, Toronto M2P 2A9. Please make sure that the total amount of donations equals the total amount of the cash/cheques you submit. Also, please make sure that your pledge form is legible and accurate. If a donor's name or address is unclear, we may not be able to issue a tax receipt for their donation. 

No, we have a feature that allows you to do multiple registrations once you have completed your own. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca
2. Complete the registration process for yourself.
3. In step 5 of the registration process, click on "Register Another Participant"
4. Complete the registration for this family member. (You can continue to register more family members the same way).

To update your contact information, please follow these steps:

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "Your Profile"
5. Update your information and click "Update"

To create a team for The Growling Beaver, you can do this as part of the initial registration process. If you have already registered and did not create the team during your initial registration, then you have two options: 

Option 1 - Have another person (who has not yet registered) that would like to join your team register and create the team. This team member can then add you as a co-captain. They can add you as a co-captain by:

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Scroll down and select "My Team"
5. On the bottom right-hand side, click "Manage Captains".
6. Select the member of your team you would like to add as a co-captain and click "Save".

Option 2 - If you do not want another person to be a co-captain (as in option 1), please contact the events team at growlingbeaver@parkinson.ca and request the team be created for you.

To join a team for The Growling Beaver, you can do this as part of the initial registration process, or any time afterwards. 

If you have already registered and would like to join a team, please email the events team at growlingbeaver@parkinson.ca and we will help you out.

NOTE: You must be the team captain to edit your team page.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Scroll down and select "My Team"
5. Click on "Update Photo".
6. Click on "Choose File" and select the image file from your computer that you would like to use.
7. You can also add a caption (e.g., "My Family") if you would like.
8. Click on "Save/Upload".

NOTE: You must be the team captain to edit your team page.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Scroll down and select "My Team"
5. Click on "Edit Content".
6. Enter your team message in the box. We provide default text for you which you can either keep or remove.
7. Click "Save".

NOTE: You must be the team captain to edit your team page.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Scroll down and select "My Team"
5. Click on "Edit Goal".
6. Enter the new goal amount
7. Click "Save".

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Scroll down and select "My Team"
5. On the bottom right-hand side, click "Manage Captains".
6. Select the member of your team you would like to add as a co-captain and click "Save".

You can view the list of top participants and teams on the Growling Beaver homepage.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Scroll down to the Team Roster Section

Yes, there is a $500 fundraising minimum for all riders. This allows us to cover the cost of the event while ensuring that funds can be directed toward critical research, providing information and support, increasing awareness and advocating for improved healthcare outcomes for people with Parkinson's across Canada. If you need help with your fundraising, keep an eye out for our emails where we'll share tips & tricks to help you reach the minimum, or email us at growlingbeaver@parkinson.ca.

If you don't meet the fundraising minimum by event day, you can still ride, but you will need to fundraise or self-pledge the balance before you will be able to register for next year's event.

If you register this year as a returning cyclist (with the same account as last year), anyone who donated to you last year will be in your current list of contacts for this year. If you would like a donor report from last year, please contact the events team at growlingbeaver@parkinson.ca.

As long as you reactivate your account from a previous event (same username and password), your donors from last year will be saved as contacts in your Participant Centre.

To reduce administrative costs, we strongly encourage you to request supporters donate online.

However, if you must collect donations with an offline/printable pledge form, you have two options for submitting the money. Here are easy to follow instructions:

Option 1: Submit the money by mail.

Please mail the donations, along with the completed pledge forms to The Growling Beaver, 316-4211 Yonge Street, Toronto ON, M2P 2A9. For each donation, please ensure that all the donor's information appears neatly and completely on the pledge form. Full name and mailing address are required to issue tax receipts.

Option 2: Deposit the money and put the donation through on your credit card.

Go to your fundraising profile page and donate to yourself on behalf of the donor using your own credit card information, and the donor's name and receipt information.

You can do this by following these steps:

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Click on "Donate"
3. Search the cyclist's name (you do not have to enter full information, but the more you enter, the better results you will get).
4. Find the person you would like to donate to and click on their name.
5. Fill out all the mandatory fields on the donation form and click "Process".

Please note: if you wish to pay for multiple donations through one transaction, please contact our office at growlingbeaver@parkinson.ca or 800-565-3000

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre".
4. Scroll down to "Personal Donations".
5. Click on the "Download" button in the top right corner.

Please note that cash or cheque pledges will not show in this report until they have been processed.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "All Contacts"
5. Click on "Import Contacts"
6. Select your email provider and click "Next".
7. If your browser does not allow for pop-ups, you will notice text that says "Your consent is needed to access your online address book. If the authentication and consent pop-up does not appear automatically, click the link on the right", if so, then click on "Display Content Pop-up" to allow the pop-up to show.
8. Login to your email account.
9. Click "Allow Access".
10. In your Participant Centre, click "Next".
11. Provide your consent and click "Continue"
12. Select "All" or individually click beside the contacts you would like to import and then click "Next"

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "Send Email"
5. Click "Compose Message"
6. Create the email template you would like to save and then click "Save as Template".
7. When you would like to use this email template, go to "Select a Prewritten Template" and then select your email.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "Send Email"
5. Click on "Sent Messages"

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "All Contacts"
5. Click on "Email All"

Yes, there is a limit. The system allows up to 500 contacts to be emailed at one time, as a security control. It is setup this way, so it discourages spammers from using our system to send spam emails. If you would like to send to all your contacts, and if you have more than 500 contact emails, you can split your list up and send in blocks of up to 500.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "All Contacts"
5. Click on "Add a Group"
6. Name your group and click "Add a Group"
7. Select All or choose the individuals you want to add and then click "Add to Group"

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page.
3. Click on "Participant Centre"
4. Click on "Send Email"
5. Under Contacts select your group
6. Click "Email Group"

Due to an increase in threat actors using $0 registration events as platforms to send out large numbers of spam emails using the Luminate Online platform, a system update has been implemented that prevents fundraisers from using the email functionality in the Participant Centre until they meet one of the following criteria:

1. They have made a $5 donation to the organization at any point
2. They have received confirmed donations of $5 or more
3. Their constituent record is 365 days or older.

If you do not meet the criteria, your emails may still show as sent, but it will not be received by the intended recipient.

Donating online is always the easiest way to support a cyclist. When you donate online, your donation will automatically show up on the cyclist's profile and you will receive a tax receipt by email within 48 hours of the donation. This is also helpful to Parkinson Canada as it reduces costs.

You can do this by following these steps:

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca.
2. Click "Donate"
3. Search the cyclist's name (you do not have to enter full information, but the more you enter, the better results you will get).
4. Find the person you would like to donate to and click on their name.
5. Fill out all the mandatory fields on the donation form and click "Process".

Yes. If you donate online, you will automatically be emailed a tax receipt. If you donate by mailing a cheque or cash before the event, you will get a receipt for any donation above $20 CAD. If you donated by giving cash directly to a rider, your tax receipt may only be sent after the date of the event.

When possible, we send digital receipts to your email address. If you do not have an email address, your receipt will be sent by mail to the address provided on your pledge form.

Important note for credit card donations: Parkinson Canada requires full and correct donor information in order to issue an official online tax receipt that meets CRA requirements. If you do not have full information for all mandatory fields indicated with a red asterisk in the donation form, you will not be able to pay for the donation.

If you donated online, you should have automatically been emailed a tax receipt.  First, make sure the tax receipt has not gotten stuck in your spam filter. Donation receipts online are issued by growlingbeaver@parkinson.ca under the name "The Growling Beaver". Please add this email to you list of approved senders. 

If you didn't get it, please reach out to us.

If you donated in person, your receipt is being mailed to you (for any donation above $20 CAD).

Yes. An offline cash or cheque donation can be given directly to a cyclist to submit on your behalf, or you can mail them directly to Parkinson Canada The Growling Beaver, 316-4211 Yonge Street, Toronto ON, M2P 2A9. For each donation, please ensure that information appears neatly and completely. Full name and mailing address are required to issue tax receipts. 

The Growling Beaver raises money and awareness for Parkinson Canada. Parkinson Canada funds critical research, provides information and support, increases awareness and advocates for improved healthcare outcomes for people with Parkinson's across Canada. If you want more information about Parkinson Canada, visit the Parkinson Canada website.

From the navigation menu at the top of the page, click ‘About’, and then click ‘Event Day Information.’

With new fitness app integration and manual entry, tracking your distance has never been easier.

1. Go to www.growlingbeaver.ca
2. Login to your Participant Centre, using the link at the top of the page
3. Click on “Participant Centre”
4. From the options in your Participant Centre, select “Fitness”
1. If you track your rides with Fitbit or Strava, you can select “Connect” and follow the steps to link your account. Once complete, your rides will automatically add to your Fitness Activity and Fitness Progress.
2. If you prefer to track your rides manually, then scroll down to the “Manual Upload” section, enter your activity details, and select “Add Activity”.
5. As you complete rides using one of the Fitness Apps or enter them manually, they will be added to your Fitness Activity and your cumulative totals will show under your Fitness Progress. These will also appear on your personal page so your supporters can track and support you!

The Growling Beaver is open to riders of all skill levels, from first-time riders to seasoned cyclists. It is not a race. It is about challenging yourself and coming together as a community of riders to help make a difference in the lives of people and families affected by Parkinson’s.

Riders are called upon to help one another with technical issues on route. Please carry supplies so that you can change a flat.

Yes, each rest stop will offer something different, but you can expect light snacks (fruit, granola bars, etc.) and water. Please bring your own water bottle to fill up at the rest stops.

We have ordered sunny, cool days with lots of tailwinds for all rides. In the event of rain, the ride will continue with routes subject to change (for example, the long-distance routes may be shortened). The exception would be thunder/lightning storm.

The Growling Beaver is a different type of cycling event: It’s as social as it is athletic. It was designed for cyclists by cyclists to be accessible to everyone, so there are multiple route options. New this year, we are introducing road routes. We will also continue to offer our traditional routes with a mix of tarmac and scenic country gravel roads.

Given the distance and the limited daylight hours needed to complete the 200km course, we ask that you are able to maintain a minimum 24km/hr pace. Your average speed will be lower than your road riding average speed given the gravel roads and climbing. If you cannot maintain this speed, please consider the 40km, 60km, or 100km course.

The gravel routes cover several different surface types during the Growling Beaver with several climbs and descents. It is recommended that you ride a gravel bike or a cyclocross bike with a minimum 30mm tire and appropriate tread. A front and rear light are mandatory for participants in the 200km route. Any style of bike is acceptable for the road route options.

You can support the event by donating to a participant, by volunteering before or during the event, by donating resources or funds, or by offering corporate sponsorship.

Support a participant
Support the cause
Donate your time
Corporate sponsorship opportunities

When you register or donate to Parkinson Canada’s The Growling Beaver online, you’ll be automatically registered to receive email updates. If you didn't register or donate, but would like more information, you can sign up to receive email updates here.

Parkinson's is a chronic, progressive disease that occurs when brain cells related to movement are dying. People with Parkinson's can experience symptoms including resting tremor, slowness of movement, muscle rigidity, balance problems as well as anxiety & depression, sleep issues, and cognitive impairment.

More than 100,000 Canadians live with Parkinson's, a number expected to increase substantially in the coming years, with 30 Canadians diagnosed each day. The average age of diagnosis is 60, but some people are diagnosed prior to 50 and referred to as having early onset Parkinson's. It is still unclear what causes Parkinson's, but scientists believe the disease usually results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Parkinson's is a disease that affects not only individuals, but also families, friends and care partners who come together to manage the realities of Parkinson's.

At Parkinson Canada, people with Parkinson's are at the centre of everything we do. Parkinson Canada funds critical research, provides information and support, increases awareness and advocates for improved healthcare outcomes for people with Parkinson's across Canada. For more information, visit the Parkinson Canada website.

Yes. A national registered charity, Parkinson Canada fulfils its mission through the generosity of donors and is an accredited organization under the Imagine Canada Standards Program.

Please visit parkinson.ca, call 1-800-565-3000 or email info@parkinson.ca in English or French for more information, to get involved or to support Canadians affected by Parkinson's by making a donation.