Jeff Leiper suffers heart attack while shovelling snow

Jeff Leiper, the councillor for Ottawa's Kitchissippi ward, suffered a heart attack Wednesday morning caused by a blocked artery while shoveling snow, he said in a statement.

Leiper was taken to the Heart Institute at the University of Ottawa where an angioplasty was successfully performed and he is now recovering there, he wrote.

Leiperwrote in his statement thathe has advised the city and mayor that he will be missing "a few committee meetings" and that staff will be assisting with day-to-day issues.

Leiper saysthat he has been smoking for 30 years but will be quitting smoking as part of his recovery. He plans to use resources offered by the Heart Institute and Ottawa Public Health.

He went on to thank Ottawa Paramedics and the staff at the Heart Instituteand warned people to be careful while shoveling snow.

"Take it easy and don't over-exert," he wrote. "Your family and friends will thank you."

The mayor and manycitycouncillorssent well wishes toLeiperover Twitter.