Hamilton’s Ward 8 Coun. Rob Cooper announced Sunday his candidacy as the city’s mayor, after winning his seat on council last September in a by-election.

He’s a chartered professional accountant who said in a statement he has a “clear plan to restore safety, affordability and economic strength” to the city.

Cooper won his seat as the Ward 8 councillor following a tight by-election race, after the previous councillor John-Paul Danko vacated the seat to become the Liberal MP for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas.

In a statement, Cooper’s mayoral platform will focus on: keeping taxes affordable, tackling violent crime, confronting the housing crisis, and repairing and rebuilding infrastructure.