In this issue...

The World Cup and Gifts

With Toronto hosting FIFA World Cup games this summer, lobbyists and senior officers are reminded to not be caught offside by offering gifts to public office holders.
Two women sit in a boardroom with a compute having a business meeting

Offering a gift can create a real or potential conflict of interest now or in the future.

Gifts can include meals, tickets and invitations to sponsored events like meet and greets and watch parties, as well as FIFA promotional items.

It is a breach of the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998 to knowingly place a public office holder you are lobbying in a position of real or potential conflict.

A valuable resource with guidance on gifts is available on our website. You can also consult the Office’s Interpretation Bulletin #11 to learn more about conflicts of interest and how they may affect your lobbying.

If you have questions about your obligations under the Act, you can contact the Office to get an Advisory Opinion.

Avoid red cards (gifts) and keep your lobbying activities around the beautiful game in play!

Integrity Commissioner Cathryn Motherwell was pleased to speak at an online session hosted by the Ontario chapter of the Public Affairs Association of Canada (PAAC) in May.

Commissioner Motherwell provided an overview of the work of the Office and her role as Lobbyist Registrar. She also shared information about the requirements of the Act and how lobbyists can stay compliant. Additionally, she outlined the legislative amendments she would like to see if there is a review of the Act. These proposed amendments mirror those identified by former Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake.

Vacation Reminders

Planning to take time off this summer? Keep in mind that your obligations under the Act don’t take a vacation. Your registrations must still be renewed on time.

The following timeline information will help you stay on top of your obligations.

Consultant lobbyists

If you are still lobbying for your client, you must renew your registration once a year. The timing of the renewal is connected to the month and day you first filed the registration. You have 60 days to renew your registration. The consultant lobbyist and their primary contact (if applicable) will receive a reminder email at the start of this window.

Senior Officers of Organizations and Businesses

Your registration must be renewed every six months, based on the date it was first filed. You have 60 days to renew your registration, and the senior officer and primary contact for the registered entity will receive a reminder email at the start of this window.

To check if you are in your renewal window, click on “Renew a Registration” from the “I would like to…” menu page. If the registration is not within the renewal window it will indicate “There are no records available”.

You can also check the initial filing date of a registration to see if you will you have a renewal requirement while you’ll be away. Checking and planning ahead will ensure no surprises during or after your vacation.

Don’t forget that registrations must be updated within 30 days of a change to existing content or if new information needs to be added. You can update your registration at any time by selecting “Change an existing registration (not a renewal)” on the main menu page.

As of March 31, 2026, there were 3,807 registered lobbyists and 4,124 active registrations on the Ontario Lobbyists Registry.

694 consultant lobbyists held 3,449 active registrations. This accounts for more than 80 percent of the total registrations on the registry.

In-house registrations held by for-profit and not-for-profit entities accounted for 675 registrations.

Information about the types of lobbyists, as well as real time lobbying statistics, are available on the Office website.