It's all Lo-ver! Barrhaven East elects Wilson Lo to City Council for second straight term

It was a lot easier this time around for Wilson Lo.

In a landslide victory over four challengers on Monday, voters in Barrhaven East chose the 34-year-old former OC Transpo bus driver to represent them at Ottawa City Council for a second consecutive term.

When Rogers TV officially called the race in Lo’s favour just before 9 p.m. — he was up by around 600 votes and none of his opponents had hit triple digits yet — the four-season patio at Heart & Crown’s Barrhaven location broke into applause and cheers. It was looking like he could win 80 per cent of the vote. Back in 2022, he had taken just 36.8 per cent.

“Frankly, surprising,” Lo told the Ottawa Citizen at his re-election party. “I thought at least one of them would do better, but good for me.”

One of the four people vying to unseat Lo — along with Jules Ruhinda, Zahy Adam and Ahmed Alsabaawi — was candidate Yoosaf Melparamba, whose audacious campaign signs, planted directly next to Lo’s, made a little noise during the race. Some featured big arrows pointing at the incumbent’s signs, reminding the public of Lo’s votes, like when he said yes to a 2.5 per cent bus fare hike.

“My first thought was ‘Why would you spend money on an opposing candidate?’” Lo said. “I don’t quite understand that.”

It was suggested to Lo that perhaps he should move his signs in an attempt to weaken Melparamba’s attacks, but the incumbent wasn’t ashamed of his record.

“One of the signs, it points to my sign and says, ‘He voted against electric buses,’” Lo explained. “That was a decision that most of my residents had supported, but it was in 2023, so most of my residents had forgotten about it. So, the vote that (Melparamba) dredged up was a vote that actually worked in my favour.”

Transit will continue to be the main focus for Lo, who was an OC Transpo employee for over eight years (bus operator, 2014-20; customer communications officer, 2020-22). He understands why his constituents sent him to City Hall in the first place, telling residents on the campaign trail this fall that the City must finally look inward on this particular issue.

“The City’s been very good at blaming commuters,” Lo said. “We’ve been very good at blaming the federal government, blaming the provincial government for all of our transit ills, but we’ve never really looked in the mirror at ourselves.

“My vision is something like Hydro Ottawa, where we own it, it’s still a public asset, but the operations are completely independent from the City. With the current state of transit, this is the perfect time to do it.”

Two light rail extensions are scheduled to be completed in the next two years — one is scheduled to connect Line 1 to Algonquin College by late 2027, at the absolute earliest. That should make the commute slightly more convenient for Lo’s constituents.

So, too, will the widening of Prince of Wales Drive, which Lo fought to include in the City’s Transportation Master Plan in his first term. One of his biggest achievements, he says.

“The City had removed it back in 2013 when the Vimy Bridge was done, thinking that was going to solve everything,” Lo explained. “But it didn’t. And the city also grew at the same time. Some people moved here 20 years ago with the promise of widening that road.”

City staff are currently working on the master plan’s costing and ranking. Lo expects to find out more in the new year.

During the height of the celebration, “Dada won! Dada won!” could be heard from a table of Lo’s family, celebrating with his one-year-old son Wesley, who will be up well past his bed time on this night.

Lo gave his wife, Amelia Howell, a huge shoutout in his acceptance speech. She has been carrying the load at home this campaign.

“A good marriage is 50-50, right?” said Lo, the youngest councillor this current term. “But that really is an average. Frankly, throughout my whole term, there were a lot of days where she was more on the 65 side, where I’m closer to 35. But since we had Wesley, there’ve been a lot of nights where she’s been 70 to 100.

“The support from your family makes or breaks you in this job.”

(Please check back for updates)
Orléans East-Cumberland
Orléans West-Innes
Barrhaven West
Kanata North
West Carleton-March
Stittsville
Bay
College
Knoxdale-Merivale
Gloucester-Southgate
Beacon Hill-Cyrville
Rideau-Vanier
Rideau-Rockcliffe
Somerset
Kitchissippi
River
Capital
Alta Vista
Orléans South-Navan
Osgoode
Rideau-Jock
Riverside South-Findlay Creek
Kanata South
Barrhaven East