Vancouver-Point Grey MLA David Eby was widely expected to be a major contender in this year's B.C. NDP leadership race, but he's not jumping in after all.

The NDP MLA who unseated Premier Christy Clark in the last general election has announced that he won't be running to replace Adrian Dix because of the impending birth of his first child.

Eby posted this statement on his blog:

As many of you know, I’ve been thinking seriously about running to be the leader of the BC NDP. I’m very grateful for all of the support and encouragement I’ve had from people across the province during that process.

I’m writing to let you know some very exciting family news that has led me to bow out of the race.

My fiancée Cailey is pregnant. We are expecting our first child in early September.

The impending arrival of the next generation of the Eby and Lynch families means that my understanding of the job of MLA to build and protect BC’s economically and environmentally sustainable future has shifted. Now, instead of simply being a priority because it is the right thing to do, a sustainable future for this province has become a very tangible and personal priority. Our family wants a better province for all of BC’s children, and now for our own child too.

While this happy news makes me more motivated than ever to do the important work of representing the interests of Vancouver Point Grey provincially, now is not the right time for me to put forward my name as a leadership candidate.

Thank you again to all who have supported me through my deliberation process.

Thanks to all who offered support and encouragement. I'll be bringing that energy to work every day in this session, and in the future.

— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) February 14, 2014