Matthew Luloff wins packed race in Orlans

Afghanistan veteran Matthew Luloffhas emerged from a packed field of candidates to win the east Ottawaward of Orlans.

With all 97 polls counted, Luloffhas 23.8 per cent of the vote, 264 votes more than the next closest rival, Catherine Kitts.

The results remain unofficial until the city clerk verifies the final poll counts, which is expected to happen byThursday.

Luloff is a Canadian Forces veteran of Afghanistan and served as an adviser for Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan prior to running for council.

'Its been a very long fight,' says Luloff

6 years ago

Duration 1:00

Matthew Luloff wins packed race in Orlans.

There were 17 candidates running in the ward, making for a wide-open race, which Luloffacknowledged.

"Look, I know that I didn't get everybody's vote and I know that this isn't a gigantic mandate," he said."I'm going to work very hard to gain everybody else's trust."

On Tuesday, he toldCBCRadio'sOttawa Morningthat residents told him they were confused by the longlistof candidates.

"We were out there every single day, 10 hours a day knocking on doors and talking to people, and I think it was the conversations that we had that made the big difference."

Getting Stage 2 LRTup and running

Luloffsaid he plans to make sure Stage2of Ottawa's light rail project starts on time, after the project'sfirst phase faced delays.

"I will work with chair of the transit commission to make sure we are holding the contractor'sfeet to the fire," he said. "We need it in Orlans."

The project will also attract development to the community, Luloff said.

"We need to make sure that [development is] appropriate, that it respects the character of the neighbourhood," he said.

"We are going to have to work with the developers.I would like to establish a relationship with them early so that we can be respectful and work together."

Bob Monette, who hadbeen the councillor for the riding since 2006, originally planned to run for another termbut later decided to withdraw his nomination for family reasons.

The other 15 candidates were:

• Rick Bdard
• Toby Bossert
• Mireille Brownhill
• Guy Desroches
• Diego Elizondo
• Dina Epale
• Doug Feltmate
• Jarrod Goldsmith
• Miranda Gray
• Geoffrey Nicholas Griplas
• Shannon Kramer
• Qamar Masood
• Louise Soyez
• Kevin Tetreault
• Don Yetman