A former opponent of Denis Coderre's is now joining his party.
The one-time leader of the official opposition at city hall, Richard Bergeron, announced today at the side of Coderre he would seek re-election next November as part of Equipe Denis Coderre.
"With Coderre, Montreal finally has a mayor. A mayor that already has many achievements to his credit, including with the Inspector General, repositioning Montreal internationally and in his political leadership on files including the [upcoming Greater Montreal rapid transit system REM]," the Ville-Marie councillor for Saint-Jacques said in a statement. "I am confident that with him, the best is to come. "
Bergeron was a long-time leader of the opposition party, Projet Montreal, and was the party's mayoralty candidate in the 2005, 2009 and 2013 municipal elections, the latter of which he came third at the polls behind Coderre and now-Canadian Heritage Minister, Melanie Joly.
He left Projet in 2014 after being invited by Coderre to sit on the city's executive committee. The party is still without a permanent leader, but a leadership race is ongoing.
"We have been learning to work together since the executive committee," Coderre told reporters on Sunday. "I think [his joining my party] is a plus for Montreal."