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Winning a ward seat in Monday night’s civic election is only the second-biggest thing to happen to Steve Hillier this week.

He’s also a new millionaire.

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“It’s been positively surreal,” Hillier said of his $1-million Lotto Max win. “But it allows me to focus on being a councillor, and not worrying about anything else.”

City council’s million-dollar man found out Sunday night he had struck it rich after he finished his final door-to-door canvassing before the civic election. Two days later, it was revealed he had defeated Ward 14 incumbent Jared Zaifman in Monday’s race.

But he couldn’t spread the word until he finished up the paperwork with Ontario’s lottery regulator.

“I came home and checked the ticket using the app on my phone and it came up $1 million. I thought, ‘That’s interesting, I better check.’ I turned the app off and turned it on again.”

He still plans to take over the council seat and said the lottery win won’t change his approach. But the cash prize – won on a Lotto Max free play – will help Hillier pay off his mortgage and his two sons’ student loans, he said.

Hillier and his wife also plan to buy a new house – but still in Ward 14, he added.

“I was most excited about the election win, but my wife was a lot more excited about the lottery win,” Hillier said with a laugh.

mstacey@postmedia.com

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