Website: https://www.ola.org/en/members/all/neil-lumsden
Twitter: @NeilLumsdenMPP
Neil Lumsden was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek in 2022 and appointed as the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Before entering politics, Neil enjoyed a successful career as an athlete, administrator, entrepreneur and community volunteer.
As a star player with the University of Ottawa Gee Gees, Neil helped the team to an undefeated season and the Vanier Cup in 1975. Over 10 years as a fullback and running back in the Canadian Football League, he won three Grey Cups with Edmonton, and a fourth in 1999 as General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Hamilton Tiger‑Cats.
Neil’s individual awards include the Frank M. Gibson Trophy as the top rookie in the CFL’s Eastern Conference in 1976, and the Dick Suderman Trophy as the Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian in 1981.
In 2000, Neil was named University of Ottawa’s Meritas Tabaret Award winner for Alumni Achievement as the university’s Athlete of the Half Century. Neil is a member of the University of Ottawa, Ontario University Athletics Sports Hall of Fame and City of Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. In 2014 he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Since his tenure as General Manager of the Tiger-Cats, Neil has been a principal in a number of successful business and community ventures. He was the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the very successful 2003 World Road Cycling Championships, hosted by Hamilton.
Neil was also owner and CEO of Drive Marketing, a sports and marketing agency in Hamilton and Burlington. He was also Director of Sport, Sports Medicine and Performance at Brock University in St. Catharines, leading many Brock Badgers programs to significant historical milestones.
Neil’s commitment to youth development has been demonstrated through his decades of volunteer activities related to youth sport and other community projects. He has coached youth hockey and football and is currently part of the coaching staff of the Steel City Patriots playing in the Northern Football Conference out of Stoney Creek.
He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Hamilton’s Ronald McDonald House and has volunteered his time and fund-raising expertise to the city’s Association for Community Living.
Neil and his wife Donna live in Hamilton and have two grown children, their son Jesse and daughter Kristin.