Louie will not seek re-election as Vancouver councillor
And then there was one.
Vancouver city Coun. Raymond Louie told reporters Wednesday that he won’t seek re-election in this year’s election, leaving Heather Deal as the only incumbent Vision Vancouver councillor running for another term.
Deal confirmed Wednesday that she hasn’t changed her plans to run for re-election, feeling a need to provide continuity at a time of large-scale turnover on council.
In Vancouver’s last municipal election, in 2014, six Vision-affiliated councillors and a mayor were elected. Asked what it feels like now, to be the only one of those seeking to carry on, Deal said: “There’s a sense I need to keep going for at least one more term … There needs to be some institutional memory.”
While Deal, currently in her fourth term on council, said she’s “super-excited” about the new candidates seeking to bring fresh perspectives and energy to city council, she feels “there needs to be some of the old as well as the new.”
Vision has had a majority on council since 2008, when the party’s Mayor Gregor Robertson was elected to his first of three terms.
“It’s been an amazing run for us,” Deal said. “A real powerhouse of a team.”
Deal said she didn’t want to speak on behalf of Louie, but he informed her of his decision in a brief conversation Tuesday evening.
“I’m actually quite sad at his decision, and I told him that,” Deal said.
Louie didn’t immediately reply Wednesday afternoon to a request for a phone interview.
Louie, 53, has served on council since 2002. He was first elected as part of the Coalition of Progressive Electors, but was part of the breakaway group that formed Vision Vancouver ahead of the 2005 election.
Born and raised in east Vancouver, Louie is currently vice-chair of Metro Vancouver, and was previously president of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities.