NDP Leader Avi Lewis will not run in any upcoming federal byelections

NDP Leader Avi Lewis will not run in any of the seven federal byelections expected later this year. The party said in a statement to CBC News that Lewis's focus is on rebuilding the party in line with discussions with the NDP caucus and elected officers, as well as the mandate given by members to prepare for the next election.

Lewis has remained without a seat since winning the NDP leadership race in March.

Seats opening across the country Seven MPs have either vacated their seats or indicated they will not return to Ottawa in the fall. One seat that opened is the Toronto riding of Beaches-East York, where former Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith stepped away from federal politics this week.

The NDP last won the riding in 2011. It has been held by the Liberals since 2015. Four seats are expected in Quebec, one in Saskatchewan, and one in British Columbia.

Analyst assessment Polls analyst Éric Grenier said running in the vacant Toronto riding would have been a risky move for Lewis. He noted the seat was one of the safest for the Liberals in the last election. Grenier said the Liberals are unlikely to lose the three seats they held in the spring and could gain seats in two competitive Quebec ridings.

The Liberal Party told CBC News that no date has been set for a nomination meeting in Beaches-East York.