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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Mayor Gord Van Tighem made his last state of the city address Tuesday afternoon before Yellowknife's business community, announcing at the end he will not run for office again after 12 years as mayor of Yellowknife.

Deputy mayor Mark Heyck, above, has been endorsed by Mayor Gord Van Tighem for mayor, after announcing he will not run agaion this fall. - Thandiwe Vela/NNSL photo

"I remember 12 years ago my wife telling me that I was foolish to go from a seven-day-a-week job at the bank to a nine-day-a-week job at the city," Van Tighem said, to laughs from the audience of about 80 guests at the mayor's annual Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

"And so, at this stage, with the city being in somewhat different shape than it was, with different people involved in the process, I believe that I will not be considering running for election again this fall."

The mayor also used the opportunity to endorse deputy mayor Mark Heyck as the city's next mayor.

"He now does similar things nationally to what I do," Van Tighem told Yellowknifer. "He's developing a reputation, and that's what Yellowknife needs.

"And he's young, enthusiastic, local."

Born and raised in Yellowknife, Heyck, 35, first successfully ran for city council in 2003. He has been deputy mayor for the past six years.

Heyck has not yet confirmed his intention to run for mayor in the municipal election Oct. 15.

"I'll take the next few months to weigh my options and talk to my family," Heyck told Yellowknifer. "And then hopefully sometime probably in the early summer I'll try to make up my mind as to what I'm going to do."

Van Tighem was first elected mayor of the city in October 2000 - defeating incumbent David Lovell and one other challenger, current city councillor Bob Brooks - after early retirement from the Bank of Montreal in 1999.

He was acclaimed in 2003, again in 2006 and re-elected in 2009, claiming 74 per cent of the vote against two challengers. This fall would have been his fifth run.

"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em," Van Tighem said, quoting a Kenny Rogers song. "I've had 12 excellent years.

"It's high energy, and there's a lot of other high-energy people around that can come in."

The mayor has used his state of the city luncheon address to announce his intention to seek re-election in the past, so the announcement that he would not vie for another term came as a surprise to many present, including Tim Doyle, executive director of the chamber, who called the announcement a "bombshell.

"He's been a great advocate for the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce," Doyle said, also acknowledging times when the business community has butt heads with the city.

"Like anything, there's always good, bad and ugly, but we've had a pretty good relationship with the mayor," Doyle said.

Van Tighem ended his speech with thank yous and best wishes.

"I want to thank you very much for your support, your suggestions ... basically what all of you are doing to make this city my favourite in Canada, and hopefully yours," he said, adding "there's still nine months to go ... And, all the best."

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