Mayor Ed Holder will not run for re-election this fall and will step down from politics.
His decision whether to seek another term or not will change during the one-month recovery from a medical procedure.
“I intended to run away, and then when your health is affected, you start saying, ‘Can I be the person Londoners need?’ He told CTV News.
In a press release announcing Holder’s impending retirement, he said the decision was also influenced by discussions and personal reflections with his family.
“I just got to a point in my life where I would like to spend more time on other activities and at a slower pace … In the meantime, there is still a lot of important work to be done from now until the elections. I remain fully committed to my responsibilities and duties, “he said.
In July 2018, Holder jumped into the mayoral race with just one hundred days to go, but the former federal MP and cabinet minister won 58.8% of the vote in the first election.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” said Dr. Jacket Newman, a political scientist at Kings University College.
Newman said the rigors of political office can be significant: “We still have this idea that it’s part-time, it’s something you do after you retire, but it’s not. It’s full-time. day. That’s a lot of work. “
Holder’s tenure in the mayor’s office was interrupted by several challenges, including a compromise on the BRT route, the COVID-19 pandemic and his commitment to build 3,000 affordable homes in five years.
Holder became the 64th mayor of London on December 1, 2018. He was previously an MP from London West from 2008 to 2015 and was also the Federal Minister of Science and Technology.
Fulfilling his commitment to affordable housing will be a task left to his successor, although he says municipal policies and agreements with top governments are in place.
“It’s so dramatic and so important that there’s no way it can’t happen,” Holder said.
Holder has remained on the board for the past five months and said he would look for new ways to contribute to London after the end of his term.
“I hope Londoners will look back and say, ‘Not only did he do his best, but what he did was positive for this city,’ Holder said.
“The opportunity to serve as mayor was truly an honor for a lifetime … As I prepare to enjoy life outside of politics, I am very proud of the achievements of this council,” Holder added in a statement. “Together, we have made historic investments to support our most vulnerable, along with transformative changes in London’s transit system.”
Holder’s last day in office will be November 14, and Londoners will elect a new mayor and council on October 24.
– With files from Crystal Varley from CTV News in London
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