Behind the Cameras at Council

What residents often don’t see is the amount of work that happens long before the cameras turn on at Council meetings.

Reading reports. Meeting with community groups. Reviewing applications. Working with staff. Asking questions. Researching policies. Trying to build programs that genuinely help residents while being responsible with taxpayer dollars.

Last night’s Council meeting was a perfect example of that disconnect.

For the last four years, I have served on the Discretionary Grants Committee alongside Councillors Vizzari and Balasiuk. The program originally existed to support tourism-related events through grant funding funded primarily by parking revenues.

At the time, the intent made sense. Tourism events were a major driver of economic activity in Niagara-on-the-Lake and many organizations relied on municipal support to grow those initiatives.

However, things evolved.

With the creation of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) program and the ability for Tourism NOTL to distribute funding directly toward tourism-focused initiatives, our committee believed it was time to refocus the Town’s discretionary grants toward the local community itself.

Last year, after extensive discussions and review, the committee proposed a new granting framework focused on community impact.

The updated program prioritized:

• Free community events for Niagara-on-the-Lake residents

• Youth programming and recreation

• Senior-focused initiatives

• Local sports organizations

• Community BBQs and outreach initiatives

• Programs that directly improve quality of life for residents

  
  

This year, under the new matrix, the committee awarded funding to the following organizations:

• Community Crew — $7,500

• Friends of Niagara National Historic Sites — $3,600

• Music Niagara — $7,500

• Niagara Minor Thunderhawks Lacrosse — $7,500

• NOTL Horticultural Society — $1,900

• NOTL Minor Hockey — $7,500

• NOTL Soccer Club — $5,564

• Niagara Pumphouse Visual Art Centre — $5,000

• RiverBrink Art Museum — $4,000

• Royal Canadian Air Cadets — $7,500

• Royal Oak Community School — $7,350

• St. David’s Leos/Lions Club — $7,500

Total Grants Awarded: $72,414

Not every applicant met the eligibility requirements under the new framework. Because of that, the committee recommended that the remaining balance of funds be redirected toward recreational programming relief for residents — particularly youth-focused recreation support.

Unfortunately, that recommendation resulted in a 43-minute debate.

Some councillors argued that all available funds should simply be granted out because the money existed in the account.

Others questioned whether youth recreation support was even necessary.

What frustrated me most was that some members of Council debating the recommendation had clearly not taken the time to fully understand:

1. What the granting parameters actually are

2. What the granting parameters are not

3. Why some applications did not qualify under the new framework

   
   

Using parking revenues for discretionary grants may not directly impact the tax levy, but in my opinion, that does not make it “free money” to simply distribute without accountability or purpose.

Responsible governance means ensuring funding aligns with the intent of the program.

The recommendation was ultimately referred back to staff for further review and another report in the coming weeks.

I will also note this:

Not one of the councillors questioning the report reached out to me beforehand as a fellow councillor and committee member to ask questions, discuss concerns, or suggest amendments collaboratively.

Instead, those conversations happened once the cameras were rolling and an audience was watching.

That is one of the most frustrating parts of municipal politics.

For those of us who put in the work, read the reports, listen to residents, and genuinely try to improve the community with the right intentions, it can be discouraging to watch decisions become more about political positioning than actual governance.

Some councillors spend their term focused on the next election.

Others focus on making decisions today that protect the future.

Sometimes those decisions are difficult.

Sometimes they are unpopular.

But leadership is not about chasing applause in the moment — it is about making responsible decisions that stand the test of time.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned this term is how decisions made years ago continue to impact residents today.

Past councils made choices that created expensive consequences we are still dealing with — whether financially, operationally, or through infrastructure challenges.

For some of us, those lessons reinforce the importance of thoughtful decision-making and long-term planning.

For others, unfortunately, the cycle simply continues.

And the people most affected are often the next generation — the youth who don’t yet have a vote, but who will inherit every decision we make today.