Hamilton East—Stoney Creek

Hamilton East—Stoney Creek was held by Progressive Conservative MPP Neil Lumsden, who had flipped the traditionally NDP-held riding in 2022 after the NDP's longtime incumbent was expelled from caucus. During the 2022–2025 term, Lumsden served as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport in the Ford cabinet. The riding encompasses the working-class east end of Hamilton through to the more suburban community of Stoney Creek, and its mix of industrial heritage, residential neighbourhoods, and waterfront areas along Hamilton Harbour made it a bellwether for the broader Hamilton political landscape. The 2025 contest drew a familiar cast of challengers as the NDP sought to reclaim what had been a safe seat for more than a decade before 2022.

Candidates

Neil Lumsden (Progressive Conservative) — The incumbent MPP and Cabinet Minister, Lumsden is a Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee who played ten seasons in the CFL, winning three Grey Cups with the Edmonton Eskimos. He later served as general manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and as Director of Athletics and Recreation at Brock University. He did not attend the local all-candidates debate during the campaign.

Heino Doessing (Liberal) — Born and raised in Denmark, Doessing served as a municipal councillor and completed graduate studies in economics before immigrating to Canada in 2010. He worked in finance at the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and was on leave from that position during the campaign.

Zaigham Butt (NDP) — A CRA accountant and union leader with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, Butt was a recipient of the Order of Hamilton for community volunteer efforts including food hamper distribution during the pandemic through the Pakistan Business Association. He also ran as the NDP candidate in the riding in 2022.

Pascale Marchand (Green Party) — A constituency assistant in Hamilton's Ward 4 councillor office, Marchand held degrees in public health and journalism. She was nominated for a 2025 YWCA Women of Distinction award and was an advocate for francophone, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Minor candidates included Heather Curnew (Ontario Party), Wieslawa Derlatka (New Blue Party), and Drew Garvie (Communist).

Local Issues

Industrial emissions and environmental health were a prominent concern in the riding during the 2022–2025 term. Residents in east Hamilton raised alarms about black soot from industrial facilities affecting homes and playgrounds, prompting community pressure on the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to hold local industries accountable. The issue highlighted tensions between the riding's industrial economic base and the quality of life for nearby residents.

The long-awaited Confederation GO station in Stoney Creek was under construction during the term, with costs rising from initial estimates. The station represented a significant transit investment for the eastern part of the riding, promising improved commuter rail access for residents who had long relied on automobile travel. The closure of the East Region Mental Health Services facility in the riding also drew attention to gaps in health care access, adding to broader concerns about physician shortages and hospital capacity across Hamilton.

Housing affordability and the cost of living remained central campaign themes. Working-class neighbourhoods in the east end continued to experience rising rents and property values, while the threat of U.S. tariffs on steel and other Canadian goods added economic anxiety for workers in the riding's industrial sector. The Stelco facility at Nanticoke, while technically in the adjacent Haldimand—Norfolk riding, employed many east Hamilton residents whose livelihoods were tied to the steel industry's fortunes.