Scott Simms is a seasoned Canadian public engagement and media executive. For 17 years, he served as a member of Parliament for Newfoundland and Labrador where he advocated for his constituents in the House of Commons and worked tirelessly across party lines to help solve issues facing Newfoundlanders and all Canadians. His accomplishments have been featured in several national media outlets including The Globe and Mail, CBC News, Macleans, Global News and National Post.
Mr. Simms represented Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor from 2004 to 2015, and Coast of Bays, Central Notre Dame from 2015 to 2021. Throughout his political career, Mr. Simms also chaired several parliamentary committees including the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.
In October 2011, he introduced a private members’ bill that would allow seniors to receive Old Age Security benefits biweekly instead of monthly. That same year, he fought to increase Employment Insurance benefits from 15 weeks to 30 weeks for those unable to work due to illness.
In 2013, he worked closely with a local volunteer group in Newfoundland and Labrador and advocated for the cleanup of the Manolis L. shipwreck — a container ship that sank in Notre Dame Bay decades earlier and was beginning to leak oil into the ocean, threatening the local ecosystem and economy. The successful cleanup took less than three years to complete under his leadership, and served as an important lesson for the international community on how to handle a future leak from a sunken vessel in deep ocean water.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Simms worked as an on-air reporter and weather presenter for The Weather Network based in Mississauga, Ontario. He covered major storm events, including Montreal’s 1997 ice storm and Toronto’s 1999 snowstorm — delivering vital, accurate information to viewers about these emergency situations. In this role, he also researched, wrote and produced segments for future broadcast.
From 2002-2003, Mr. Simms was the manager of marketing and public relations for The Weather Network’s owners, Pelmorex Communications Inc. In this role, he increased brand awareness for The Weather Network channel and website through media partnerships, billboard campaigns, television contests and live events. He also worked closely with Pelmorex Inc. in creating an All-Channel Alert which provided viewers with essential information about natural disasters occurring in their area. His work with the All-Channel Alert laid the foundation for the current online service known as Alert Ready, which is utilized by governments across Canada.
Mr. Simms attended Mount Allison University for his bachelor of commerce degree, and Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Sciences for his broadcast journalism diploma. He currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.