"It's something that I've given a lot of thought and consideration to which I've taken very seriously," said Morantz.

As CTV News reported first last month, Morantz has been mulling a federal run and on Thursday he made it official. Nearing the end of his first term at city hall, Morantz announced he will seek the federal conservative nomination in Charleswood-St.James-Assiniboia-Headingley. The councillor says the timing is right for him personally and professionally as he wants to take the knowledge he's gained at Winnipeg City Hall to Parliament Hill.

"I want to take that experience to Ottawa and also in terms of experience I had many years practicing law and involvement in the community especially with special needs groups," said Morantz.

Effective immediately Morantz is stepping down from Mayor Brian Bowman's Executive Policy Committee and as chair of the Infrastructure and Public Works committee. That leaves an empty seat in the Mayor's inner circle.

"He is just an incredible dedicated public servant he is someone…who works very very hard," said Mayor Brian Bowman

Replacing Morantz on EPC, St. Boniface City Councillor Matt Allard, a Brian Bowman ally.

"I think we are aligned in terms of infrastructure priorities, I think we're aligned on many issues like accountability, transparency," said Allard

Morantz was Bowman's first finance chair. Initially he took the police service to task over its budget. Later he backed the Mayor against developers who were upset about impact fees. He sparred with Qualico’s Eric Vogan in September 2016 who called the fees a scheme.

"It's unfortunate you chose those words Eric I thought you were better than that," Morantz said at the time.

But more recently as infrastructure chair, Morantz has faced criticism from areas homeowners over a controversial route for the Sterling Lyon Parkway extension. Morantz says he's not running for federal office, because of anything that's happened in the last three years plus as a councillor.

"I've really enjoyed my time at city hall, it has nothing to do with my experiences at city hall they've all been very very positive," said Morantz.

Morantz says he will stay on as councillor until the end of the term in October. There is no date yet set for the conservative nomination.

Former Tory MP Steven Fletcher and party member Stephen Barber are also vying for the nomination.