Kirk LaPointe has officially dismissed competing in this October’s contest for mayor of Vancouver.

The Business in Vancouver editor-in-chief and radio personality announced he has ruled out running for mayor with a message posted on Twitter today (February 13).

“I was privileged to run for the Non-Partisan Association as the mayoralty candidate in 2014,” LaPointe wrote there. “While there has been speculation I might run again, after much consideration I have decided not to do so. I wish the party well in finding its next nominee.”

Before entering politics, LaPointe worked as an ombudsperson for CBC and as a managing editor of the Vancouver Sun.

In Vancouver’s 2014 civic election, LaPointe placed second with a respectable percentage of the vote. He received 73,443 ballots cast in his favour compared to Gregor Robertson’s 83,529.

LaPointe had sought the mayorship on a ticket with the right-of-centre Non-Partisan Association (NPA).

A hint that he would not make a second attempt came on January 30 when the NPA issued an open call for people interested in running with them to get in touch.

The field of candidates for 2018 still remains fairly sparse.

Four of Vision Vancouver’s current council members have said they won’t seek re-election this year. Mayor Gregor Robertson has said he’s also decided to step away from civic politics.

The NPA is represented on council by Elizabeth Ball, George Affleck, Melissa De Genova, and Hector Bremner, who was elected in a by-election last October.

Affleck has said he won’t run for re-election in 2018. De Genova has said that she will seek another term on council. Bremner hasn’t officially announced he’s running for mayor but has signalled he might. On February 1, Ball told the Straight that she would support the first-term councillor, if he does decide to run.