His family moved to Newfoundland in 1945, however, he returned to England for high school and worked for two years as a hospital orderly then as a wine merchant in London.
[5] During this time, he was also the recipient of the Fry Medal, given to a Canadian Zoologist who "has made an outstanding contribution to knowledge and understanding of an area in zoology.
"[6] Upon stepping down as scientific director, McNeil was appointed to a Distinguished University Professorship which "acknowledges sustained excellence in scholarship over a substantial career at Western.
[8] McNeil was nationally recognized for his "contributions to the study of reproductive biology in insects and for his dedication to increasing public appreciation of science" with the Order of Canada in 2015.
"[11] He also received funding for her project "Monarch fall migration, overwintering mortality and the effects of defence compounds released by decomposing butterflies on the soil ecosystem.