North Coast MLA Gary Coons has announced he will not run for a third term in next May's provincial election.
    
In a news release this morning, Coons said he's honoured to have served the riding for the past two terms, and says he's proud of the work he's done fighting against fish farm development and the Enbridge Northern Gateway project, campaigning against the HST and his work on several initiatives in the riding.

NDP leader Adrian Dix called Coons a powerful voice against Northern Gateway, and saluted him for digging for answers in the wake of the Queen of the North sinking in 2006.   

Coons was first elected in 2005, defeating one-term Liberal incumbent Bill Belsey.