Jean Lumb

Jean Lumb is a community leader and a restaurateur, who is known for her tireless advocacy in Toronto’s Chinatown. Notably, she spearheaded Save the Chinatown Committee in the 1960s to rally community and political support against a proposed redevelopment of Toronto’s Chinatown in the 1960s, which would have caused a massive displacement of the Chinese community. In the 1950s, the new Toronto City

Hall had already forced the demolition of two-thirds of Old Chinatown. When there were further attempts by politicians to expropriate the remainder of Chinatown, Save the Chinatown Committee successfully lobbied to save Chinatown, which we still see today.

Lumb is the first Chinese Canadian woman to be inducted into the Order of Canada. She tirelessly lobbied for the federal government to end discriminatory immigration policy that kept Chinese families apart.

Jean Lumb was part of a delegate, alongside Wong Foon Sien, who spoke to Prime Minister Diefenbaker to reform immigration laws that prevented Chinese families from reuniting. As a result of the delegation’s efforts, the government changed immigration regulations in 1957 to extend
the right to sponsor relatives.

There is a street in Toronto Chinatown named “Lumb Lane” to celebrate her work in the community.