A special council meeting will be held Monday at Niagara Falls city hall to provide direction to staff regarding a federal funding application involving a proposed partnership with Ryerson University.

The in-camera meeting will begin at 4 p.m.

"This is the continuation of our efforts to partner with Ryerson in our downtown," mayor Jim Diodati said Friday.

The city and Ryerson are working on a five-year plan for a $33-million project called the Niagara Falls Ryerson Innovation Hub.

The cost of the innovation centre would be split between the city, Ryerson, private investors and a federal grant.

The city's first application for funding from FedDev Ontario, a federal agency, was rejected and a second, revised submission was filed.

"We did more homework, more research and we reapplied," Diodati said. "We are trying to be consistent, and persistent."

City council must decide whether it wants to contribute $4.2 million over five years to support the project.

"The final decision for any kind of commitment lies with council and council alone," Diodati said. "Everything will depend on council's decision and their direction on Monday."

The proposal calls for equipping and operating a state-of-the-art hub, which will initially have an area of up to 4,440 square metres, expanding in Year 3 of the project, based on demand.

The hub will focus on accelerating the growth of companies, developing new skills and driving innovation in various sectors leading to the creation of new jobs.

But Carolyn Ioannoni, a longtime critic of the proposal and the mayor and staff's handling of it, said council members never voted on committing $4.2 million to the project. She believes an announcement posted on the city's website June 17 insinuates it's a done deal.

If so, she is wondering what the purpose of Monday's special council meeting is.

"It's like, why are you calling us in? You've already announced through (the city's) business page that it's done?"

She said it's "shocking" she had to Google the information on the city website to know what the special meeting is about.

"Somebody directed our staff, put it on our website, that we have already committed something we haven't voted on. Then when it was called to their attention — it was posted on Facebook – they pulled it down and changed the wording."

She said council's lack of information on the Ryerson project has been "a bone of contention for ages" with her.

"It'll be no different than anything else that's been done quickly," she said. "(We're told) 'We need to do this, if we don't do this now, the government will not be interested.'

"My question would be, as to everything else we're putting off, is this a good deal for the residents of the city? And second, why would we do this pending amalgamation?"

Alison.Langley@niagaradailies.com

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905-225-1643 | @nfallslangley

John.Law@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1644 | @JohnLawMedia