Frequently asked questions

For answers to some of the more common questions about the Enbridge CN Tower for United Way, please review the main sections on this page. If you don’t find the answer you are looking for, you can email us at unitedwayevents@uwgt.org.

Plus, you can follow us on Twitter @unitedwayto or become a fan of our United Way Toronto Facebook page to receive answers to your questions as well as informative updates leading up to the event.

Event and Participant Requirements
Registration Conditions and Terms
Information for Corporate Climbers
Collecting Pledges From Sponsors
Sponsoring a Participant

Event and Participant Requirements

What are the dates for next year’s climb?

We’ll announce the date for next year’s climb soon—be sure to check back to the Enbridge CN Tower Climb for United Way event page in 2012. You’ll be able to register in mid-August.

How do I register?

Registration for the 2011 Enbridge CN Tower Climb is now closed. You can visit back in mid-August 2012 to register for the 2012 event.

Is there a registration fee to climb?

There is no registration fee, but all participants must collect and submit a minimum pledge:

Public Climb and Corporate Climb: $60 per climber
Students under the age of 18 or a university or college students with valid student identification cards: $30 per climber

*To receive the discounted minimum pledge, students under the age of 18 or a university or college students with valid student identification cards are required to register on the Student Climb page or by faxing the Student Climb Kit to 416-777-1500.

Students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 years or older at the event and must bring a completed waiver signed by a parent/guardian. Download a student waiver.

Does this event ever sell out?

Yes. Typically, the Corporate Climb events always sell out.

You will be able to register for the 2012 climb in mid-August 2012.

Registration Conditions and Terms

When can I register for the 2012 Enbridge CN Tower Climb for United Way?

To register, please visit back to our website in mid-August 2012. If you climbed in 2011, you will receive a ‘Save the Date’ email from United Way Toronto in advance of registration opening.

What are my registration options?

Online registration is the safest and fastest way to register. Check back with us next August for complete registration details.

Where do I mail my completed pledge forms?

You can mail your pledge forms to:

United Way Toronto
Processing Department
26 Wellington Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5E 1W9

Payments by cheque, money order, VISA, MasterCard, or American Express ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT MAIL CASH.

How do I change my contact information?

In 2012, you can change your contact information online by logging in and clicking the ‘Edit My Profile’ link in the top right-hand corner of the dashboard.

I’ve already registered—how do I login?

In 2012, go to the Enbridge CN Tower Climb main page for your event and log in (right side of the page). Enter your user ID and password, and you will be logged in to your personal fundraising site.

What if I forget my user name or password?

For passwords, click ‘Forgot Password’ on the homepage. Type in your user name and click ‘Submit.’ Your login information will be sent to your personal email address. For your user name, please contact unitedwayevents@uwgt.org.

What does ‘Pending’ mean?

‘Pending’ status means that you have signed up for the event, but you have not raised a minimum of $60 ($30 Student Climb) online. Any offline pledges (cash or cheques) added to your fundraising page will not be counted toward your total until they are received and processed by United Way Toronto.

Collecting Pledges From Sponsors

What is the best way for people to sponsor me?

We recommend using our online donation system. Our website is secure and your donors will have their e-receipts emailed to them instantly. Your personal page will identify new donations immediately.

If you prefer the traditional method, you can also collect cash, cheques and credit card donations using a paper pledge form. Be sure that all information is correctly filled in for each donor.

If you are collecting pledges both online and offline, you can use the ‘Get Results/Pledge Form’ feature in your fundraising page, which automatically populates both unverified (cash or cheques) and verified (credit card) donations into an easy-to-download form. Print off the form and bring it with you on event day with any outstanding cash or cheques attached.

What do I do with cash or cheque donations?

Do not mail cash donations. If you receive cash donations, you can:

Bring cash to our offices in an envelope before the deadline, along with your completed pledge form
Write a cheque (made payable to "United Way Toronto") to cover the amount, or fill in your credit card information and mail the completed pledge form to:

United Way Toronto Processing Department
26 Wellington Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5E 1W9

Be sure to attach and send the completed pledge form with the correct contact information and amounts from each sponsor. This ensures that they will all have a tax receipt mailed to them. For the 2011 climb, tax receipts will be sent out in January 2012. Only donations of $25 or more are eligible for a tax receipt.

Post-climb pledges can be submitted to United Way Toronto by the date that will be outlined in 2012 (when registration opens) in order to qualify for incentive prizes.

Post-climb pledges for 2011 can be submitted to United Way Toronto until Friday, November 18, 2011 in order to qualify for incentive prizes.

If you have already fully preregistered (have raised and submitted your minimum pledge requirement), we recommend that you do not drop off additional cash pledges on climb day. To avoid lengthy lineups, drop your additional pledge money off at United Way Toronto’s offices after climb day.

How am I eligible for prizes?

Each participant who raises a minimum of $250, and submits all pledges by the designated deadline is eligible for a gift card. Gift cards will be issued to participants who reach the $250; $500; $1,000; $2,500; and $5,000-plus fundraising levels. Check out our list of fabulous incentive prizes. Prizes are not cumulative.

Is my team eligible for the Top Fundraising Team prize?

A Spirit Award is presented to the top fundraising team of 2011. Spirit Awards will be presented at United Way Toronto’s Annual Celebration Dinner in January 2012.

Are there prizes for individuals?

Yes, United Way Toronto awards two Top Fundraising prizes and a Top Student Fundraising prize. See our Prizes page for details. As a 2011 climber, to be eligible for these prizes, all pledge money must be received by United Way Toronto before 5 p.m. on Friday, November 18, 2011.

What is the minimum donation required in order for my sponsors to receive a tax receipt?

Cheque and cash sponsors who pledge $25 or more are eligible for a tax receipt. To ensure timely delivery of the receipt, ensure that your pledge form is complete and legible.

Online donors will be issued an electronic tax receipt instantly via email. If you did not receive your tax receipt, or if you have lost it, email us at unitedwayevents@uwgt.org and we’ll ensure that you receive it.

Is there a minimum I must raise in order to participate?

Yes, each participant must collect and submit a minimum of $60 in pledges to participate in the Corporate or Public Climbs. Students under 18 years of age or university or college students with valid student identification cards who register for the Student Climb may participate with a minimum of $30 in pledges.

Where does all the money raised go?

When you fundraise for United Way Toronto, the money goes into what we call the Community Fund—a pool of donations that draws on the combined strength of donors like you to strengthen individuals, families and communities by supporting services that improve peoples’ lives. The Community Fund helps in the short term by meeting immediate needs—helping individuals when they need it most—and in the long term by addressing the root causes of social problems through a systematic approach that works to change whole communities. Learn more about the Community Fund.

What do I do if I have not received a tax receipt after donating online?

Email us at unitedwayevents@uwgt.org and we will ensure that you receive one.

How does offline fundraising work?

You can collect pledges using our downloadable pledge form, or you can keep track of your offline fundraising using our online system by following these four easy steps:

Record all your offline donations using the ‘Manage Cash or Cheques’ button on your personal fundraising page*
Once you have completed entering all your offline donations, print the results form, which has been automatically populated with both your online and offline pledges. Be sure to include the address and phone number of your donors so we can issue a tax receipt for donations of $25 and more
You must submit the results form with your cash and cheque donations on event day
For the 2011 climb, you can submit additional donations, above the minimum $60, with your results form up until Friday, November 18, 2011 to our office at United Way Toronto, ATTN: Processing Department, 26 Wellington Street East, 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON, M5E 1W9

*Manually adding your offline donations will NOT change your status from ‘Pending’ to ‘Registered.’ Only online donations made by using VISA, MasterCard or American Express count toward your verified dollars. The offline tool is used strictly for your own fundraising purposes. Please send all offline donations to United Way Toronto in cheque form. DO NOT MAIL CASH. Please write a cheque payable to “United Way Toronto” to cover all your cash donations.

What does ‘Verified’ mean?

‘Verified’ only refers to funds collected online and paid using a credit card. Funds collected by cash or cheque are not verified until they are received by United Way Toronto, even if these amounts are added to your online fundraising page. Offline donations will not change your status from ‘Pending’ to ‘Registered.’ If you choose to keep track of your fundraising by entering offline donations on your online personal page, keep in mind that only money that is received by United Way Toronto will get tallied up to go toward your final fundraising total once it is processed.

Example: You have raised $40 online and $20 offline; you must submit the offline funds to United Way Toronto by the deadline to be confirmed as preregistered. For the Corporate Climb events, you must be fully registered by the deadline. Only preregistered climbers will receive a wristband and timing chip at the event.

How does online fundraising work?

Registering online allows you to manage your fundraising efforts through our user-friendly online system. The site allows you to personalize your website, join a team and send emails to your friends and family asking them to sponsor your climb. Your page will update automatically so you can track your fundraising goal. .

How can I ask my friends and family to sponsor me?

You can ask your family and friends to sponsor you by sending an email from our online registration system. This will provide your sponsors with more information about your participation in the Enbridge CN Tower Climb for United Way. You can send a personalized message by copying the email address into the box on the ‘Solicit Sponsors’ page, type in your personal message (optional) and send the email.

If you have a lot of contacts, or if there are strict firewalls at your place of work, you may want to send your emails from your personal email account. Before you do this, send yourself a fundraising email through the online system, as per the instructions outlined in the above. Once you receive this email, you can forward it on to contacts from your email program or from your personal email account. This email will include your personal fundraising address link. Email recipients will be able to click on this link and make a donation directly to you.

How do I thank my sponsors?

Your donors will automatically receive a thank-you email from United Way Toronto confirming their donation. You can also send personalized thank-you email messages. Just follow the instructions on the sponsor page.

Sponsoring a Participant

What is the best way to sponsor a participant?

We strongly recommend using our online donation system. Our website is secure and your donors will have their tax receipts emailed to them immediately and fundraising updates will appear on the participant’s page instantly.

If you prefer the traditional method, you can also submit cash, cheques and credit card donations directly to the participant. Be sure that all of your contact information is filled out legibly and correctly so a tax receipt can be issued.

Why should I use the online system?

Donations can be made securely and tax receipts are issued to your sponsors instantly. Here is how it works:

Click on ‘Sponsor.’ This will take you to the search page
Search for a participant to donate to. Enter all or part of the person’s name you are searching for and click ‘Search’
From the search list, click the name of the person you want to donate to. This will take you to their personal fundraising page. From here you can begin the donation process
On the donation form, enter your contact information, complete your credit card information and click the ‘Donate Now’ button
Your donation will be processed and you will receive an email acknowledging your donation as well as an electronic tax receipt in PDF format
Be sure to retain your tax receipt for your tax records

If you do not see your tax receipt in your email inbox, please check your junk mail folder, as some email systems may filter out the email attachment. If you do not receive a tax receipt please contact us at unitedwayevents@uwgt.org.

When sponsoring an individual using our online donation system all credit card transactions occur in real-time and your credit card will be immediately processed for the donation amount you indicated in the donation amount field. The system does not allow for post dated donation either by cheque or credit card.

Who should cheques be made payable to and how do I get them to United Way Toronto?

Cheques should be made payable to “United Way Toronto” and given directly to the participant you are sponsoring who is taking part in the climb. The climber should attach the cheques or cash to their pledge form and submit them with the rest of his or her funds to United Way Toronto. Please ensure that all sponsors have filled out their full mailing address so a tax receipt can be issued.

Can I donate using traditional mail?

Yes. If you are writing a cheque to cover the amount you would like to pledge, please make it out to “United Way Toronto” and mail it directly to our offices along with a pledge form that includes the name of the participant that you are sponsoring. To ensure a tax receipt is issued, please check that the pledge form is legible and the climber’s name is spelled correctly. (Tax receipts will be issued for all donations of $25 or more.)

United Way Toronto
Processing Department
26 Wellington Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5E 1W9