Elisapee Sheutiapik's last day as mayor of Iqaluit will be Dec. 13, the same day a byelection is to be held to choose her successor. (CBC)

Nominations are open in a byelection for a new Iqaluit mayor, after Elisapee Sheutiapik announced her resignation this week.

The civic byelection will be held Dec. 13 to succeed Sheutiapik, whose resignation as mayor of Nunavut's capital will take effect that day.

Also up for grabs is a council seat being vacated by Natsiq Alainga-Kango, who is running for president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the territory's Inuit land-claims organization.

Nominations for both civic positions close Nov. 23 at 3 p.m. ET. Forms can be obtained at Iqaluit city hall or from returning officers Kirt Ejesiak or Jeanie Eeseemailee. They can also be downloaded from the city's election website, iqaluitelections.ca.

Sheutiapik announced her resignation at Tuesday night's council meeting, capping a seven-year stint as mayor in one of Canada's fastest-growing cities.

Raised city's profile

She was first elected mayor in 2003, when Iqaluit had a population of fewer than 6,000. The city is now track to grow to 15,000 people in the next 20 years, according to municipal officials.

"From the public's perspective, I think they'll see her as a mayor who brought credibility to the city," chief administrative director John Hussey told CBC News on Wednesday.

"She'll be recognized as a mayor who gave recognition to this city on a national basis."

Hussey cited the example of the recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference, held in Iqaluit for the first time in September.

Sheutiapik has also been recognized for her "Angel Street" initiative, in which she encourages other cities to rename a street Angel Street to honour victims of domestic violence and raise awareness of the issue.

She had the name Angel Street bestowed in 2007 on the road leading to the Iqaluit women's shelter. Since then, Regina, Fredericton, Yellowknife and Kamloops, B.C., have adopted similar street names.

Taking stock

As for why she decided to leave her mayoral post now, just over a year into her third term, Sheutiapik said she has been soul-searching since her son Iola, 15, left Iqaluit in late August to attend the Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall, Ont.

A hockey mom at heart, Sheutiapik said it has been a constant struggle to balance politics and family, as well as business at the Grind and Brew, the coffee shop she and her husband own.

"I had to kind of stop, take stock of where I am as an individual, as a mother," Sheutiapik said.

But Sheutiapik said she does not plan to leave Iqaluit and is leaving the door open for a future in Nunavut politics.

People have encouraged her to run for positions at various Inuit land-claim organizations, including Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, she said.

In the 2008 territorial election, Sheutiapik lost a close race in the riding of Iqaluit West to the then premier, Paul Okalik.

Priorities could change

After Dec. 13, Sheutiapik wants to spend time with family and take a much-needed break, she said.

Despite Iqaluit's projected growth, Sheutiapik said it is still a small town in many ways.

"Although municipally we deal with water, sewer [and] roads, I'm someone that has never forgotten the social side of it," she said.

Administrative director Hussey said he wants to push ahead on priorities such as finding waste management solutions, building recreational facilities and developing a sustainability plan for Iqaluit.

But the city's priorities could change with the election of a new mayor, he said.

"I wouldn't say [I'm] worried, but I guess you have to look at the individuality of the person who becomes mayor," Hussey said.