Former Edmonton councillor, federal MP Amarjeet Sohi making ‘major announcement’ Monday

Former Edmonton city councillor and Liberal Member of Parliament Amarjeet Sohi says he will be making a “major announcement” Monday morning.

A news release was emailed Sunday afternoon that Sohi would be making the announcement online at 10 a.m. Monday.

Earlier in May, Sohi said he has been seriously considering running for the mayor of Edmonton in the upcoming fall election.

READ MORE: Former councillor, federal MP Amarjeet Sohi ‘seriously considering’ Edmonton mayoral run

“I love Edmonton. I’ve lived here for 40 years. I’m invested in this city and I know we have been going through very difficult times over the last number of years, but during the last 14 months of living through COVID,” Sohi said in an interview with Global News in early May.

“When we come out of this pandemic we’re going to face significant challenges and opportunities — that’s why I’m seriously considering to put my name forward to be Edmonton’s next mayor,” he said.

“I came to this country with nothing. I came to Edmonton with nothing,” said Sohi, who immigrated to Canada under the family reunification program.

“This city has provided me with so many opportunities to make my life better, but also an ability to give back, to make the community a better place. So I think all of us — at least I see — that every one of us should have those kinds of opportunities.”

Sohi was a city councillor in Alberta’s capital from 2007 to 2015 when he shifted into federal politics.

He served as the Liberal MP for Edmonton Mill Woods until 2019 when he lost his seat to Conservative Tim Uppal.

READ MORE: Conservative Tim Uppal wins Edmonton Mill Woods seat, booting Liberal Amarjeet Sohi

Prior to his work in politics, Sohi worked as a transit operator.

Sohi said he has spent the last several months speaking to Edmonton residents in an effort to understand their perspectives and aspirations, as well as what they would like to see in their city moving forward.

“My leadership style from day one has been about building consensus, about building collaboration and really understanding issues from very diverse perspectives that, when we tackle them, we have the comprehensive approach where together we move forward, not as individuals, but as a community,” he said.

READ MORE: Face of Edmonton’s city council to change with new mayor, councillors come fall election

Current Mayor Don Iveson announced late last year he will not seek re-election. So far, nine people have officially filed paperwork to run to become Edmonton’s next mayor, including current councillor Mike Nickel and former councillors Kim Krushell and Michael Oshry.

Diana Steele, Cheryll Watson, Augustine Marah, Brian Gregg, Rick Comrie and Adbul Malik Chukwudi have also thrown their hats into the race.

2:02 Face of Edmonton’s city council to change with new mayor, councillors come fall election

Edmonton’s municipal election will be held on Monday, Oct. 18.

— With files from Global News online supervisor Caley Ramsay