(CNN) Longtime Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson came out as gay in a column in the Ottawa Citizen on Saturday, writing that the announcement was "better late than never."

The 58-year-old wrote he had long struggled with the decision to be open about his sexuality, and considered whether the revelation would affect his relationships with family, friends and constituents.

Watson's announcement came just a day before the start of Ottawa's Capital Pride 2019 , a weeklong festival.

"As I look back over my life, and in hindsight, not coming out sooner was a big mistake on my part," he wrote.

Dear Ottawa residents and friends, I have some personal news I wish to share with you. I invite you to read my Op-Ed in today's @OttawaCitizen: https://t.co/fJJevxBcOi#Pride — Jim Watson (@JimWatsonOttawa) August 17, 2019

Watson recalled being bullied in grade school and how his father's frequent relocation for work made it difficult to make friends in high school. There were virtually no resources for LGBTQ students to seek guidance or help, he wrote, and he couldn't remember ever meeting an openly gay student before college.

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