---
title: "Seven candidates challenge Ward 1 incumbent Matt Luloff in Orléans East-Cumberland"
description: "Third-party group Horizon Ottawa is running ads against incumbent councillor Matt Luloff as six challengers campaign in one of Ottawa's most contested ward races."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/ward-1-luloff-race-2026-10-17"
last_updated: "2026-10-17T18:36:40.181Z"
---

Six challengers are running against Ward 1 incumbent [Matt Luloff](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/matt-luloff) in Orléans East-Cumberland, giving the ward the largest field of any Ottawa ward with an incumbent councillor, CBC reported on October 17. A third-party advocacy group is also running advertising against Luloff in what challengers say is a referendum on his two terms.

Horizon Ottawa, a left-leaning advocacy group registered as a third-party advertiser, has chosen Ward 1 as one of its two priority races. Its co-ordinator Tom Ledgley told CBC the group is buying YouTube ads targeting Luloff and has had volunteers distribute thousands of flyers across the ward. Horizon Ottawa has endorsed challenger [Bob Bell](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates/bob-bell). Ledgley told CBC the group had raised more than $7,000 and planned to spend about $5,000 on advertising.

**The race**

Ledgley accused Luloff of supporting "austerity budgets" that made commuting harder and of voting for a municipal return-to-office mandate while attending committee meetings virtually from home. Luloff told CBC he was "not pleased that groups are resorting to misinformation, incomplete information and lack of context," and that residents wanted no part of what he called American-style attacks.

Several challengers also framed the race as a performance review. "Orléans East-Cumberland residents are starting to become aware of the lack of investment that we are getting," said Barbara Daniela Gandolfo. Yvette Ashiri, who ran in a neighbouring ward four years ago, placing second with 22 per cent of the vote, told CBC Luloff "needs to do more." Luloff defended his record, telling CBC the ward has eight years of progress on roads, paths and parkways.

CBC reports that Luloff was fined $4,550 in total and given a one-year driving prohibition after a judge found he was drunk while driving home from Bluesfest in July 2024. Several challengers told CBC the conviction was coming up at the doorstep. Luloff told CBC: "This was a grave error that I made. It's something I take responsibility for." He said he no longer drinks at all and is donating to Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada.

**The challengers and the vote split**

With six challengers, candidates acknowledge that dividing the vote is a risk. Bell, who has Horizon Ottawa's backing, told CBC that "unifying is going to be a challenge." Sherif Rizk said he saw himself as the candidate who could consolidate votes most broadly. As of early October, CBC reports that Bell had raised $30,000, Rizk had raised $12,800 plus a personal contribution, and Mazhar Choudhry had $12,000.

**Transit tops the agenda**

Most candidates told CBC that transit is the top issue, with the LRT extension to Trim Road preparing for a possible opening after the election. Rizk proposed a reliability guarantee; Ashiri and Trellert called for more express routes; Bell said Ottawa had been ignoring its bus fleet; Choudhry said he wanted to bring back the long-defunct route 95. Luloff said the priority was making the LRT extension a success.

Voting day is October 26. All seven Ward 1 candidate profiles are at [/on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-1-orleans-east-cumberland](/on/ottawa-2026/races/councillor/ward-1-orleans-east-cumberland).

## Sitemap

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