QUÉBEC CITY, March 10, 2026 /CNW/ - Members of the Lobbyists Registrars and Commissioners Network (LRCN) express their clear support for the recommendations to modernize the Lobbying Act submitted by the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, Nancy Bélanger, as part of the statutory legislative review currently being conducted by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) of the House of Commons.

These recommendations, studied during the Commissioner's appearance before the ETHI Committee on Monday, March 9, 2026, aim to adapt the federal legislative framework to contemporary lobbying realities while strengthening the fundamental principles of transparency, fairness, impartiality, and independence that underpin lobbying regulation regimes in Canada.

Drawing on the collective experience of its members—who are responsible for administering and overseeing lobbying regulatory regimes at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels—the LRCN members consider the Commissioner's proposals to be a necessary and coherent evolution of the Federal Act.

"The recommendations put forward by Commissioner Bélanger reflect proven practices in several Canadian jurisdictions and address well-documented issues related to the disclosure, compliance, and effectiveness of oversight mechanisms. They provide an important opportunity to strengthen public trust in public institutions across Canada.", Jean-François Routhier, the Quebec Commissioner of Lobbying, stated.

Structural Changes Based on Canadian Experience and International Best Practices

The Federal Commissioner's recommendations aim to modernize the Lobbying Act, notably by introducing default registration for employers with in-house lobbyists, expanding and harmonizing disclosure requirements, clarifying who qualifies as a designated public office holder, improving compliance and enforcement tools, and generally improving pan-Canadian consistency by drawing on rules already used in other jurisdictions.

These recommendations are also intended to ensure that the information made public through the Federal Registry of Lobbyists remains complete, reliable, and useful to citizens.

A Call for Modernization

In this context, LRCN members offer this perspective to inform the statutory review of the Lobbying Act being undertaken by the ETHI Committee and Members of the House of Commons.

"It is my sincere hope that this study will lead to improvements to the Lobbying Act. Amendments that enhance transparency will foster increased accountability, integrity and trust in our federal institutions. In my view, these improvements would also serve to ensure Canada remains a global leader in the regulation of lobbying." Mrs. Bélanger said during her appearance.

About the Lobbyists Registrars and Commissioners Network

The Lobbyists Registrars and Commissioners Network (LRCN) is a group of regulators from Canadian jurisdictions at the federal, provincial and municipal levels who administer and supervise the lobbying regimes in their respective jurisdictions. 

In accordance with the legislative and institutional frameworks specific to each jurisdiction, not all members of the LRCN are able to speak publicly or formally endorse a joint release, particularly where their status, the structure of their organization, or the scope of their responsibilities limits this type of public position; nevertheless, these jurisdictions are members of the Network and actively contribute to its work.

This release reflects the collective experience of Canadian lobbying regulators in administering statutory regimes. It is offered in the interest of strengthening transparency, accountability, and regulatory effectiveness, and does not constitute political advocacy.

SIGNATORY MEMBERS:

British Columbia – Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists

Alberta – Lobbyist Registry, Office of the Ethics Commissioner

Saskatchewan – Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists

Ontario – Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario

City of Ottawa – Integrity Commissioner

City of Toronto – Toronto Lobbyist Registrar's Office

Quebec – Lobbyisme Québec

New Brunswick – Office of the Integrity Commissioner

Canada – Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying

SOURCE Commissaire au lobbyisme