Plateau-Mont-Royal residents elect Projet Montral's Luc Rabouin as mayor

Residents of Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough have elected Projet Montral's Luc Rabouinto be their new mayor.

Rabouin won Sunday's byelection with 67 per cent of the vote.

"I'm very, very happy with the strong and clear mandate we received in today's election," he told reporters.

"I worked for 45 days, every day, because I wanted people to know who I was and what my vision was ... and that paid off."

Rabouin has lived in the borough most of his adult life. He's a community organizer and non-profit leader who is currently the director of strategic development at the Caisse d'conomie solidaire Desjardins.

With that background, he knows what businesses in the area need to flourish, he said prior to his election.He wants to move forwardin the same direction and values of the previous mayor, but "with a different approach."

Projet Montral has long had control over the borough, with Luc Ferrandez serving as borough mayorsince 2009.

The outspoken Ferrandezstepped down in May.He said at the time that Projet Montral isn't doing enough to slow down "the rate at which we are destroying our planet."

Rabouinsaid he disagrees with Ferrandez's assessment. Citingprojects such as the Parc de l'Ouest, he said the city is just starting its ecological transition.

Rabouin said in time, people will realize he is "a little less flamboyant" than his predecessor, but just as passionate.

Mayor Valrie Plante, the head ofProjet Montral, said she was happy to hearRabouinwanted to run for the position, because she believed he was a good fit to run the borough, but would also strengthen and complement the party.

"Luc, given his past, his experience,is a very important addition to the Projet Montral team," she said.

TheEnsemble Montral candidate, Jean-Pierre Szaraz, finished in second. Marc-Antoine Desjardins, representing Vrai changement pour Montral, came in third.

In total, 15,850 people voted, just under 25 per cent of registered voters.