Town turns down request for icewine festival funding

This year the town is saying no, it will not help fund the annual icewine festival on Queen Street.

Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors unanimously agreed at Tuesday night's council meeting that they would not be giving $50,000 from town coffers to support the Niagara Icewine Festival. 

Typically that request has come from Tourism NOTL, an arm of the NOTL Chamber of Commerce. Last night it was made during a presentation to council by Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Grape and Wine Festival executive director Dorian Anderson, as well as Madison Vine, chair of the icewine festival committee. 

The event is set to take place along Queen Street over the course of two weekends, beginning Jan. 18 and concluding Jan. 26. 

Organizers came to the town asking for $50,000 to be taken from parking reserves, but it was the stance of local politicians that this amount should come through Tourism NOTL and that organization’s share of Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) funding. 

Vine said during a previous discussion with Tourism NOTL that was said not to be feasible, because at that time the tourism board did not “have the right set-up” to do so. 

“I think they do now,” said Coun. Gary Burroughs, referring to the tourism group’s ability to use MAT dollars.

A meeting is scheduled for Dec. 19 between Tourism NOTL and festival organizers. As a result of Tuesday’s council decision, it will need to be pitched at this meeting that the $50,000 come from MAT. 

“It fits my understanding of the tourism model,” said Burroughs. 

Coun. Wendy Cheropita said the festival is “certainly an event worth investing in,” but also was not ready to approve using money from the town’s parking revenues. 

Treasurer Kyle Freeborn said it’s not the town’s decision to approve funds being taken from the MAT. “That would be up to their board (Tourism) NOTL) at this point,” he said. 

Previously, the town has contributed $40,000 annually to the festival from parking reserves. This funding was previously directed through the Chamber of Commerce, which managed the event, says the staff report received on Tuesday. The responsibility for the event has now shifted to the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, with support from the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival.

Coun. Sandra O’Connor agreed with Burroughs and Cheropita that the tourism board should be responsible for the budget request. 

“To me, that’s exactly where this request should go,” she said. 

Questions were also raised about plans to close one side of Queen Street from the time of the festival starting until its ending. 

Fire Chief Jay Plato said this is similar to what has occurred during past icewine festivals, adding there is “not an overarching concern” at this time, but that the town is still reviewing the plans. 

Large snow globes will be placed in the area, and will need to remain in place the entire time, said Anderson. 

She said this year’s goal is to attract a new audience, a younger crowd through attractions such as an ‘IceHaus,’ which involves a DJ performing European-style electronic music.