Paul Cheng, the runner-up in London’s 2014 mayoral race, won’t discuss the nature of an “announcement” he plans to make Friday afternoon on the steps of city hall.

Cheng, an oil and gas consultant, has said he would consider running again. He’s also appeared at several public events relating to bus rapid transit, a $560-million project supported by Mayor Matt Brown.

At a public meeting last week, Cheng called London “a village,” suggesting it’s too small for BRT. He called the transit project “a fraud.”

Thursday, shortly after sending out notice of his Friday afternoon event outside city hall, he declined to discuss it in any detail.

“I’ll say hello to everybody at the same time,” Cheng said. “I look forward to seeing you tomorrow (Friday).”

Despite having no experienced campaign workers, Cheng surged ahead of better-known Londoners Joe Swan and Roger Caranci to finish second to Brown in the 2014 race. Cheng, then 57, finished with 34.3 per cent of the vote to Brown’s 57.7 per cent.

Cheng self-financed much of his campaign, spending more than $126,000 of his own money. He was disqualified from running in 2018 after missing a deadline to file financial paperwork.

In March, The Free Press reported Cheng launched a successful legal challenge against that Municipal Act penalty, clearing the path for a 2018 mayoral run. He later told AM980’s Andrew Lawton he’s considering another run for mayor.

Brown has stated he plans to seek a second term. Paul Paolatto, a former member of the board that oversees London police, is mulling a run. So, too, is Coun. Josh Morgan.

pmaloney@postmedia.com

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