(Posted 8:30 a.m., Oct. 23)
Luloff emerges from crowded field to capture Orléans Ward 1
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline.ca

Councillor-elect Matthew Luloff is all smiles as he arrives for his victory party on Tenth Line Road after being declared the winner in Orléans Ward 1 on Monday night. Fred Sherwin/Photo

The residents of Orléans Ward 1 have a new city councillor and his name is Matthew Luloff.

What started out as a crowded field with 15 candidates on the ballot quickly turned into a four horse race as the results began to come in shortly after 8 p.m. A little over an hour later, the contest had boiled down to just two candidates – Luloff and former Orléans Star editor Catherine Kitts.

At one point, Kitts was only 63 votes behind Luloff. By the time the last poll had reported in, the unofficial margin of victory was 264 votes or 1.74 per cent. It was the second closest result among the city`s 23 wards. Only Alta Vista Ward was closer with incumbent Jean Clouthier managing to hang on to his seat by 201 votes.

When he arrived at his post-election party at the Corner Bar on Tenth Line Road, Luloff thanked his supporters and instinctively reached out to all the many residents who didn’t vote for him.

“I am so thankful for the support I’ve gotten here in Orléans and the confidence they’ve shown in me. But look, I know I didn’t get everybody’s vote and I know this isn’t a gigantic mandate and I am going to work very hard to earn everybody’s trust and make Orléans even better,” said Luloff as a group of his campaign workers chanted his name in the background.

Born and raised in Orléans, the fluently bilingual Luloff came out of nowhere to become a co-front-runner with businessman Rick Bédard.

Luloff’s campaign gained significant momentum when he received an endorsement from Cumberland Ward incumbent Stephen Blais just days before the special advanced polls opened on Oct. 4.

His platform focused on four key areas – roads, transit, public health and safety, and economic development. Among his priotities are widening Hwy. 174 to allow for HOV lanes; building a southern transportation corridor from Frank Kenny Road to Hwy. 417 at the Hunt Club interchange; expanding the park and ride lots at Place d’Orléans and Trim Road; building an accessible boardwalk on Petrie Island; encouraging and facilitating pop up shops on St. Joseph Blvd.; and developing a community-based policing strategy.

But before he focuses on making his campaign platform a reality, Luloff plans to schedule meetings with a lot of people including Bob Monette, who he will be replacing on city council; fellow newly elected Innes Ward councillor Laura Dudas; and Beacon Hill, Cyrville incumbent Tim Tierney.

As the results began to roll in on election night, it became clear that the challenge expected to be provided by Bédard was never going to materialize. Instead, the biggest surprise was turned in by Kitts who credited her aggressive door-to-door campaign which was fuelled by a small army of more than 80 volunteers, for her success.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)