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Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue wants to be the next leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party.

Prue officially launched his leadership bid Friday, July 18 during an event in Regent Park, the place where he lived as a child.

Just as Regent Park is in the midst of revitalization, Prue said it's about time the Ontario NDP does the same.

"After 45 years of the NDP it's time for renewal as well," he said Wednesday morning.

The long-time local politician is the first candidate to make his intentions officially known.

In late June, Prue, a local MPP since 2001, said he'd been asked by supporters to consider the job.

"It's a huge commitment to take on. If the support is there I may run," he said then.

Prue said he made the decision to run after consulting his staff and his wife, Shirley.

"You only get an opportunity like this once in your life," he said.

Prue, who celebrated his 60th birthday July 14, intends to focus his leadership campaign on the environment, the economy, restructuring taxes and addressing poverty.

He also said the Ontario NDP needs to regain its relevance to the broad middle class and with labour groups.

Another issue that Prue has said he'd look into is the question of public funding for Ontario's separate schools.

"I'm not advocating for one school system but I do think it's time to have the debate," he said.

"Let's start to think about how we can better handle things."

First elected as an East York councillor in 1988, Prue served as the former borough's mayor from 1993 to 1997. He served as a Toronto councillor before getting into provincial politics in 2001. Prue also worked as a counsel for the Minister of Employment and Immigration.

He currently serves as the Ontario NDP's community and social services; democratic renewal; finance; research and innovation; and revenue critic.

At this point, Prue is in the midst of collecting 100 signatures from the party's five districts to be officially accepted as a candidate eligible to collect funds for his campaign.

Recently criss-crossing the province on a series of poverty forums, Prue said he's been talking to people about his leadership bid and gauging their support.

"It's a long and arduous process but the level of support seems to be growing and people seem to be very warm to the candidacy," he admitted, adding that the party's outgoing leader Howard Hampton spoke to him about his "leadership qualities" back in 2001 when he was being courted for the Beaches-East York MPP role.

Despite his leadership bid, Prue vowed that he'd continue to fulfill his obligations as Beaches-East York's MPP.

"As a longtime politician I've learned that you cannot leave aside the duties of which you've been elected to do," he said.

Toronto-Danforth NDP MPP Peter Tabuns is a potential candidate for the leader's job but has yet to officially announce his candidacy.

Tabuns was first elected during a 2006 by-election and regained the seat during the 2007 Ontario election. He's also a former local councillor and was Greenpeace's executive director from 1999 to 2004.

Longtime NDP MPP Gilles Bisson as well as Hamilton MPP Andrea Horwath have also announced their intention to be candidates.

After more than 12 years at the provincial party's helm, Howard Hampton announced he would not be seeking re-election as its leader at the March 2009 convention.

First elected to the legislature in 1987, Hampton has said he is stepping down to spend more time with his wife Shelley Martel and their two children, Jonathan and Sarah.

He has reportedly agreed to stay on as member of the legislature for Kenora-Rainy River until the next Ontario election in 2011.