Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said he was "saddened" by the film.
Asked about his apology to Diodati, Lachemi told BuzzFeed Canada that it was a "personal email" and that he had "not cast any blame towards Ryerson students."
The students behind the short say they stand by their work. The film was "intended to spark a conversation" and it succeeded, the group said in a statement on Facebook.
UPDATE
This post has been updated with comment from Ryerson University President Mohamed Lachemi.