Lou Rinaldi
Parliamentary Assistant
Lou Rinaldi was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 2003 as the MPP for Northumberland. He was elected as the MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West in 2007, then elected again to this position in 2014.
Rinaldi currently serves as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Rinaldi was appointed in 2003 as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal, in 2006 as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and in 2009 as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
He is a member of the Communities, Resources and Justice Policy Committee. He previously served as a member of the Standing Committee on Justice Policy; Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills; Poverty Reduction Action Committee; Health, Education and Social Policy Committee; Standing Committee on Estimates; Standing Committee on General Government; Economic Affairs Policy Committee; and Energy Conservation Action Committee.
Rinaldi has been involved in politics in the Brighton area since 1992, when he was appointed to council in the former Brighton Township. He was subsequently elected to council, elected as deputy reeve and in 1998 appointed reeve. In 2000, Rinaldi was elected mayor of the newly amalgamated Municipality of Brighton.
Rinaldi is one of the founders and past-president of the Brighton & District Chamber of Commerce. He is the former chair of the Brighton/Trenton Hospital Advisory Committee and a past chair of the Quinte Economic Development Commission.
He has volunteered as a fundraiser for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Almost Home, United Way, Keystone Community Group, Northumberland Services for Women and Northumberland Hospice. For the latter, he and the Brighton Speedway have hosted the Northumberland Hospice Challenge to raise funds for local hospice care.
Rinaldi was born in Patrica, Italy, and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1960. He obtained his Automotive Technology Diploma at George Brown College. Rinaldi owns the Brighton Speedway, an attraction for racing enthusiasts in eastern Ontario.
Rinaldi and his wife, Diane, have four children and nine grandchildren.