Lobbyist registry Canada: how to search it

What is the Registry of Lobbyists?

The Registry of Lobbyists is Canada's central public database of federally registered lobbying activity. It is administered by the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, an independent Officer of Parliament who also enforces the Lobbying Act.

The registry is public and searchable. Each registered file shows who is lobbying, on whose behalf, which federal institutions are being communicated with (including named MPs, ministers, and departments), and the subject matters covered.

Who must register?

The Act covers two categories of lobbyists:

• Consultant lobbyists — individuals paid to communicate with federal public office holders on behalf of a client. Registration is required before any lobbying begins.
• In-house lobbyists— employees of corporations or organizations who lobby as part of their duties. Registration is required when lobbying constitutes a significant portion of any one employee's work (commonly interpreted as 20% or more).

Exemptions exist for diplomats, official government representatives, and individuals making submissions to parliamentary committees on their own behalf without compensation.

What must be disclosed?

A registered lobbyist must disclose:

• The name of the organization or client being represented
• The subject matter of the lobbying (e.g., healthcare policy, procurement, regulation)
• Which federal institutions are being communicated with — including specific MPs, senators, ministers, or departments
• The outcome sought (e.g., legislative change, regulatory amendment, contract award)
• Monthly communication reports listing specific oral communications with designated public office holders

Monthly communication reports — filed after the fact — are where individual MP and senator meetings appear. These are the records Integrity Index pulls to populate the Lobbying section on each federal profile.

How to search who is lobbying your MP

On the registry website, use the Advanced Registry Search to filter by the name of a public office holder. This surfaces all registrations where that MP has been listed as a contact for oral communication. You can also filter by subject matter, date range, or organization type.

On Integrity Index, open any federal MP profile from Browse members and scroll to the Lobbyingsection. Records are source-linked to the registry filing. Conflict-review signals flag cases where lobbying subject matter overlaps with the member's disclosed financial interests — see Methodology for the scoring logic.

The 5-year cooling-off period

Designated public office holders — ministers, ministerial staff, and certain senior officials — face a five-year ban on lobbying the federal government after leaving their positions. The Commissioner maintains a list of designated individuals subject to this restriction. Violations can result in fines or imprisonment.

Provincial lobbying registries

Each province operates its own regime. Ontario's Lobbyist Registry is searchable by MPP name, organization, and subject. British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec have similar registries with varying thresholds and enforcement mechanisms.

Integrity Index aggregates Ontario lobbying records from the provincial registry. Data coverage varies by province — check Data coverage for current status by jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

Is the registry updated in real time?

No. Consultant lobbyist registrations must be filed before lobbying begins, but monthly communication reports are filed after the fact — typically by the 15th of the following month. There is an inherent lag between the meeting and its appearance in the registry.

Can a government employee lobby on behalf of their department?

Government employees communicating with other federal institutions in their official capacity are not required to register. The Act covers communications with government, not communications within it.

What happens if a lobbyist fails to register?

The Commissioner of Lobbying can investigate and refer cases to the RCMP. Penalties under the Lobbying Act include fines up to $200,000 and/or imprisonment up to two years. The Commissioner also publishes investigation reports publicly on the office website.