Gilles Lehouillier, longtime mayor of Lévis, Que., won't seek another mandate
Lehouillier won by a landslide in the last two municipal elections
The mayor of Lévis, Que., the city across the Saint-Lawrence River from Quebec City, will not seek another mandate.
Radio-Canada has learned that Gilles Lehouillier, who served as mayor for more than 10 years, is announcing the end of his mayoral career on Wednesday.
He's been reflecting on his political future for several months now, having promised to make a decision in January.
As mayor, he positioned himself as a defender of the idea of a third link between Quebec City and Lévis.
Lehouillier won by a landslide in the last two municipal elections. In 2021, he earned his third term with nearly 75 per cent of the vote.
Before becoming mayor, from 1986 to 2005, he was a municipal councillor in Lévis and in the former municipality of Lauzon.
From 2008 to 2012, he was a Liberal MNA in Jean Charest's government before returning to municipal politics as the leader of the political party Lévis force 10.
In a written statement, opposition leader Serge Bonin praised Lehouillier's contribution and service to Lévis.
"[He] contributed a great deal to our community, and it is now up to us to breathe new life into the future of Lévis," Bonin said.
Written by Matthew Lapierre with files from Radio-Canada