Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Neil Lumsden announced his surprise retirement last week, sending the riding to an eventual by-election.
Lumsden, 73, was first elected in 2022 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and served as Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport before his portfolio switched slightly to Minister of Sport after a 2024 Cabinet shuffle.
He was re-elected on Feb. 27, 2025, after Premier Doug Ford called a snap election.
The next Ontario provincial election is tentatively scheduled for April 11, 2030, after the government scrapped fixed election date rules enacted by former Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Those rules required a provincial election to be held every four years.
Based on the constitution, an Ontario provincial election must take place every five years.
Lumsden issued a statement saying that his retirement from his seat as MPP and as Minister of Sport is effective as of Aug. 4, 2026.
Lumsden commented, “Representing the people of Hamilton East–Stoney Creek has been an honour. Every day, I had the privilege of advocating for our community and bringing the voices of local families, individuals, businesses and community organizations to Queen’s Park. Their trust shaped every decision I made, both as their MPP and as a member of Cabinet.”
He notes that accomplishments made over his time in politics include launching the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund and the Inclusive Grassroots Recreation Program and increasing funding for After-School Programs and introducing longer-term agreements.
Lumsden continued, “I am proud to have built on the work of my predecessors to advance the implementation of Rowan’s Law, helping make sport safer for athletes across Ontario.”
Rowan’s Law is Ontario’s mandatory concussion safety legislation.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford thanked Lumsden for his service.
“Neil has been a dedicated public servant with a storied career during his time in the CFL, as a minister and as the MPP for Hamilton East–Stoney Creek. In particular, I want to thank Neil for his work supporting Toronto’s successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup. Ontario is lucky to have benefited from his leadership. I wish Neil and his family all the very best in his retirement,” commented Ford.
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath also recognized Lumsden.
Horwath said, “While we may not always have agreed on every issue, I have always respected Neil’s dedication to public service and his commitment to bringing the voices of Hamilton East–Stoney Creek residents to Queen’s Park.”
“At its heart, public service is about showing up, listening, and working to make a difference in people’s lives. Neil has done that through his work as MPP and as Minister of Sport, championing opportunities for children, youth, athletes, and families across our community and province,” she continued.
Lumsden’s resignation means that Hamilton East–Stoney Creek will be thrust into a provincial by-election.
The riding was a long-time NDP stronghold, with candidate Paul Miller achieving as much as 51.15 per cent of the vote in the 2018 election.
Paul Miller was controversially kicked out of the NDP by then-leader Horwath and ran in 2022 as an independent.
Lumsden was elected in 2022 with 12,166 votes (34.60 per cent), followed by the NDP’s Zaigham Butt with 9,614 votes (27.34 per cent), and Ontario Liberal candidate Jason Farr with 7,411 votes (21.07 per cent).
In 2025, Lumsden increased his share of the votes, earning 16,401 (42.07 per cent), followed by Ontario Liberal candidate Heino Doessing with 12,323 (31.61 per cent), and NDP candidate Zaigham Butt with 6,862 (17.60 per cent).
According to polling projections from analyst Philippe J. Fournier, the founder of 338Canada, the riding is currently classified as a “Toss Up” between the Ontario PC Party and the Ontario Liberals.
Based on social media posts, Doessing appears set to run again for the Liberals, who are currently without a permanent leader after Bonnie Crombie resigned following her 2025 election defeat.
It is unclear who would run for the Ontario NDP or the Ontario PC Party.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
