Brian Bigger withdraws from race to be Sudbury's mayor
In a startling development, incumbent Sudbury mayor Brian Bigger is withdrawing from the municipal election race, citing family reasons.
Bigger, 64, made the announcement Tuesday afternoon in an email.
"I would like to share some news with all of you today," Bigger said.
"I have been very proud to have served this community for the past 13 years, both as Greater Sudbury’s first auditor general and as your mayor."
The mayor's job meant he could not spend time with his family, he said, particularly during the hard times.
"During my time as mayor, we have lost my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, a brother-in-law and my father," Bigger said.
"My mother’s health is now failing and although she would never ask me, I feel that I need to spend more time with her."
Bigger was the city's first auditor general, appointed during the Marianne Matichuk administration in 2010. His office was awarded for an audit of the city's roads department.
In a surprise move, Bigger entered and won the race for mayor in 2014, when Matichuk didn't seek re-election. He became the first person to be re-elected mayor in 2018 since the city was created at the turn of the century.
Bigger's tenure has been marked by controversy over the so-called big projects: the Place des Arts downtown, the Junction project, also downtown, and the Kingsway Entertainment District (KED). Only the Place des Arts has been completed.
After initially opposing the KED, Bigger changed his mind and campaigned for it in 2018, but the project became bogged down by legal appeals. By the time the hurdles were cleared, soaring costs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war increased the budget from $100 million to $200 million.
The project was eventually abandoned by city council.
In his announcement Tuesday, Bigger said he was grateful for the support he has received, but it was time to put family first.
"What I know is that family is the most important thing in my life," he said.
"I have a wife I love dearly, two amazing children, five beautiful grandchildren and a mother who all need me at this time. For this reason, I have made the very difficult decision to step back in this election."
Bigger thanked his wife, Lori, for "being by my side (and) all of those who supported me now and throughout the years and the residents of Greater Sudbury for allowing me to be your mayor."
"Greater Sudbury is resilient and strong, and I see only good things ahead from this amazing community. It’s important we be positive and forward looking, and see the good this community has to offer."
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