Former Banff-Cochrane MLA Cameron Westhead won't be seeking the NDP nomination for the Banff-Kananaskis constituency.

Westhead issued a statement today, saying he appreciates those who have encouraged him to run but instead wants to focus on his nursing career and his role as second vice-president of the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA).

He will be seeking re-election to the position on the union's executive this October.

"Nurses play a key role in shaping public policy to address systematic injustices and fighting for fairness, and I am committed to continuing this work along with the UNA team," he states.

Westhead says he looks forward to a robust nomination race to select the party's candidate for the riding in the next election and believes it's winnable for the NDP.

"Our current UCP MLA has been an unmitigated disaster, stumbling from one controversy to the next," he states. "While she has scored countless goals on her own net and disappointed even those who voted for her, we must work hard to earn every vote and not take anything for granted."

Westhead was serving as Cochrane MLA when the NDP government committed in April 2017 to improve the Hwy. 1A and 22 interchange. At the time, it was expected to be completed by the end of the 2020-21 construction season.

He was part of Rachel Notley's orange wave that dethroned the Progressive Conservative dynasty in 2015, defeating both incumbent PC Ron Casey and the Wildrose's Scott Wagner.

Alberta constituencies were realigned for the 2019 provincial election, and he ran in the newly-formed Banff-Kananaskis riding, losing to UCP candidate Miranda Rosin.