Ontario MPP and sport minister announces retirement from politics

Ontario’s sport minister has announced his plan to retire from cabinet and provincial politics, stepping down from his role at the beginning of August.

Neil Lumsden, who sits as the MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, wrote an open letter announcing his retirement from politics.

“For the past four years, I have served alongside a team that understands the impact sport and recreation has on this province,” Lumsden wrote in his letter.

Lumsden was first elected for Hamilton in 2022, taking the seat from Paul Miller, who was removed from the Ontario NDP ahead of the 2022 election and had held the riding since 2007.

He played in the Canadian Football League during his sporting career, spending time in Toronto, Hamilton and Edmonton and winning three Grey Cups.

Ford thanked Lumsden for his service in a statement on Friday.

“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,” Ford wrote.

“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.”

Lumsden’s retirement sets up a third byelection that will need to be called.

Voters in Scarborough Southwest will head to the polls this year to select a replacement for Doly Begum, who left the Ontario NDP to run for the federal Liberals.

Meanwhile, Caroline Mulroney’s York-Simcoe riding will elect a new representative after she also retired from politics earlier in the summer.