The Ride for Heart is a charity bicycle ride organized by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. For more than 20 years it was sponsored by

margarine Margarine (, also , ) is a spread used for flavoring, baking, and cooking. It is most often used as a substitute for butter. Although originally made from animal fats, most margarine consumed today is made from vegetable oil. The spread was orig ...

brand Becel. In November 2017,

Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation (also known as Financière Manuvie in Quebec) is a Canadian multinational insurance company and financial services provider headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The company operates in Canada and Asia as "Manulife" an ...

was announced as the new title sponsor starting in 2018. The Ride takes place on Toronto's

Don Valley Parkway The Don Valley Parkway (DVP) is a municipal expressway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which connects the Gardiner Expressway in downtown Toronto with Highway 401. North of Highway 401, it continues as Highway 404. The parkway run ...

(DVP) and

Gardiner Expressway The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, commonly known as the Gardiner Expressway or simply the Gardiner, is a partially at grade and elevated municipal expressway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running close to the shore of Lake Ontario, it extends ...

, major six-lane highways leading into the downtown core on the eastern and southern side of the city. On the first Sunday of every June, the DVP and Gardiner are closed and turned over to the Ride in the morning. Three routes are planned out, at 25, 50, and 75 km, offering a challenge for recreational and endurance riders alike. Shorter

rollerblading Inline skating is a multi-disciplinary sport and can refer to a number of activities practiced using inline skates. Inline skates typically have two to five polyurethane wheels depending on the style of practice, arranged in a single line by a ...

events were formerly included, but were not available in 2012. The first Ride took place on this route in 1987, and has grown immensely since then. In 2011 the Ride for Heart attracted a capacity 13,000 riders and raised $3.9 million in funds towards heart and stroke research, education and advocacy. Nine out of ten Canadians are at risk of heart disease or stroke conditions, and one in three Canadians die from heart disease or stroke. Each year, about 250,000 potential years of life are lost in Canada due to cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and other chronic heart-related conditions. The Ride turned 25 on June 3, 2012, and raised a record $5 million. In 2020, the Ride was cancelled and shifted to a virtual format due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Ride for Heart Official website
Bicycle tours Cycling events in Canada Annual sporting events in Canada Annual events in Toronto