Dear Lobbyists,

We hope you are well in this very challenging time.

We wanted to let you know that our Office continues to work remotely in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. You can reach our Inquiries Officers via email (lobbyist.mail@oico.on.ca) if you require any assistance with the Lobbyist Registry.

We hope the new resources we highlight in this issue will assist you in navigating your lobbying registration requirements now and in the future.

With best wishes,

- The Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario

Resources to Assist Lobbyists

The Office of the Integrity Commissioner has updated its seven Interpretation Bulletins and added another three.

Lobbyists report that they find the bulletins particularly helpful in understanding some key aspects of the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998. But a good thing can always get better, and so the Office undertook a careful review with an eye to clear language and removing ambiguity. The result: new and improved bulletins on the website in English and French.

Click the button to view all the bulletins.

Interpretation Bulletins

All lobbyists and senior officers with active registrations have been sent an email to explain the changes to the bulletins, along with links to find them on the OIC website.

This newsletter issue provides a summary of topics covered in the Interpretation Bulletins and information on how to get further guidance from the Lobbyists Registrar.

New bulletins are added when the Registrar finds that there is a significant demand for an understanding of a specific section of the Act.

In response to lobbyist questions, the following three bulletins have been created:

IB #1  Am I Lobbying?

This bulletin addresses the different types of advocacy that constitute lobbying activity under the Act. It is directed at both Consultant and In-house Lobbyists.

IB #9  Do I have to register if I only arrange a meeting?

This bulletin applies to Consultant Lobbyists who may be arranging meetings for their clients to speak with public office holders, including extending invitations to lobby days or other events on behalf of their clients.

IB #10  Do I have to do anything when I am done lobbying, or a lobbyist leaves my organization?

This bulletin will be helpful to Consultant Lobbyists whose lobbying activity has come to an end. It also applies to Senior Officers where there is turnover in the staff involved in lobbying activity. The Act requires specific action in both cases.

Here are the revised Interpretation Bulletins:

IB #2  Who is a Public Office Holder?

This bulletin assists Consultant and In-house Lobbyists to determine whether they are lobbying an Ontario public office holder.

IBs #3A  Does my business have to register?

IBs #3B  Does my not-for-profit organization have to register?

The Registrar has revised the former bulletin about registration requirements for Senior Officers and In-house Lobbyists, creating individual bulletins focused on the registration requirements for not-for-profit organizations, and another for businesses.

IB #4  Can my client pay me with public money?

This bulletin explains the restrictions that Consultant Lobbyists have if they are being paid with public money to lobby on behalf of a publicly funded organization.

IB #5  As a consultant lobbyist, when do I need to register?

This bulletin clarifies when a Consultant Lobbyist needs to register after starting to lobby.

IB #6  How do I report government funding?

The Registrar revised the bulletin on government funding, making it clear just what types of funding are to be reported on a registration.

IB #7  Do I have to register if I am a lawyer or paralegal?

This bulletin is about registration requirements for lawyers and paralegals who lobby on behalf of a client.

IB #8  What is grass-roots lobbying?

This bulletin explains what grass-roots communication is and when to register this type of lobbying activity.

You can access the full list of Interpretration Bulletins on our website.

The Registrar Has the Answer

If you have a question about an interpretation of the Act and do not find the answer in one of the bulletins, you can ask for a case-specific Advisory Opinion from the Registrar.

Send us an email at lobbyist.mail@oico.on.ca. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible about the particular circumstances of your matter, and you will receive a written, non-binding advisory opinion.

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