NOTL grant to Niagara College narrowly passes

Niagara College’s application for a discretionary grant from the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake was narrowly approved by council Monday following criticism over its operation of a men-only campus in Saudi Arabia.

During council’s annual allocation of grants to various organizations, Coun. Martin Mazza argued against giving the college the $20,000 that was requested.

“They are the only men-only college (operated by a Canadian college),” he said. “They don’t seem to want to change their stance on that.”

Lord Mayor Pat Darte said by getting a foothold in Saudi Arabia through its campus there, Niagara College is in a position to encourage the country to change its admission policies.

Mazza suggested that instead of giving the funding directly to the college, the money be controlled by the town for college-related projects. He said it could go toward alleviating parking problems in the nearby neighbourhood Niagara-on-the-Green and for student housing and infrastructure at the school.

“I feel we are doing a disservice to the community by returning those tax dollars,” he said, adding that Niagara College has earned over a million dollars from its Middle East campus operation.

Council voted in favour of a grant to the college by a 4-3 margin.

Seventeen other grants totaling $360,645 were approved by council. The chamber of commerce received $118,000 to host special events and for its fees for services to the town.

Other larger grants included $154,645 to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Historical Society and Museum, $35,000 to the Shaw Festival and $15,000 to the Friends of Fort George. Requests from five organizations were turned down.

The library had requested a six per cent budget increase to about $623,000, but council decided to refer a decision on its request, along with the Niagara District Airport and additional funding for the historical society and museum to the upcoming 2017 budget deliberations.