Westmount mayor not seeking re-election this fall

Christina Smith was acclaimed as mayor of Westmount in April 2017.

Westmount Mayor Christina Smith announced on Friday that she won’t be running in the upcoming election.

After 12 years in municipal politics and eight years as mayor, Smith said she felt ready to step away in an announcement on the city’s website.

“It’s an incredible privilege to serve your community,” she told CTV News. “I’ve always worked with really dedicated both elected officials and the administration that works for the city. So I feel very fortunate for that, and I feel like I’m leaving it very much on the right path and good hands.”

Municipal councils are a crucial part of the democratic process, she said, and it affects how people live in their cities. But she said it felt like a natural time for her to step away and pass on the torch to someone new.

“It’s a grueling pace at times,” she said. “Another four years... There’s a lot of great counselors around the table that will continue to serve so I think it’s the right time for me, personally, in my career, my family, to pursue other things.”

During her tenure, Smith said she was focused on fostering civil engagement and prioritized the enhancement of Westmount’s infrastructure. She wrote that she took pride in the road, parks, and public building improvements designed “thoughtfully designed with the active participation of our residents.”

Having led the city during the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith said she worked to ensure programs were put in place to break isolation and support vulnerable residents.

She said the “collective response to the pandemic stands as a testament to the resilience and compassion of our community” and that “during this challenging period, the true spirit of our community shone through.”

Smith said she hopes the next administration will run to contribute and move the city forward rather than throw their name in the hat “because they’re mad about something, like bike paths.”

“You have to make sure you know what you believe in, know the work that needs to be done, and you continue to push it forward,” she added.

“I hope that we will continue to see smart and engaged people want to join this process, and we always have in Westmount.”

Smith said while she won’t be running in November’s election, “much remains to be accomplished” in the coming months — namely to tackle the housing crisis and the controversial revitalization of the city’s southeast sector, which she said is underdeveloped.

She added that the next administration will have to deal with “significant” infrastructure debt.

After serving on Westmount’s council since 2013, Smith succeeded Peter Trent as mayor in 2017 following his departure. She ran unopposed in 2021. She will remain mayor until the next election.