Provincial Lobbying

Background

Amendments to the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998 came into force on July 1, 2016 and brought significant changes to Ontario’s lobbyist registry system. As a result of the changes, Brock University must register with Ontario’s Lobbyists Registry once employees’ combined lobbying activity exceeds 50 hours a year.

Compliance

Brock is registered under the Lobbyists Registration Act through its most senior officer, the President and Vice-Chancellor, who must register and list personnel within Brock who lobby on behalf of the University and disclose all lobbying by the University.

Brock University’s Office of Government Relations is responsible for overseeing the University’s compliance with the Act and its related regulations. Full compliance is important in order to ensure the University’s lobbying efforts are lawful and to avoid penalty.

To assist in filing the required disclosures, an Ontario Lobbyist Registration Act Communications Disclosure Form has been created and posted on the Brock’s government relations website for use by those who engage in lobbying Ontario public officer holders on behalf of the University.

If you have any communication to report, please complete the Ontario Lobbyist Registration Act Communications Disclosure Form within 30 days following your communication.

Ontario Lobbyist Registration Act Communications Disclosure Form

Public office holder

A “public office holder” includes:

  • Any minister, officer or employee of the Crown
  • A member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and any person on his or her staff
  • A person who is appointed to any office or body by or with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council or a minister of the Crown, other than a judge or a justice of the peace or a person appointed by or with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council on the address of the Legislative Assembly
  • An officer, director or employee of any public body listed here
  • A member of the Ontario Provincial Police Force
  • An officer, director or employee of the Ontario Power Generation Inc. and each of its subsidiaries, or the Independent Electricity System Operator

Please note, an officer, director or employee of other entities may be public office holders if the entity has a governing body with Government of Ontario appointees. If you are unsure if the individual is a public officer holder please contact Brock’s government relations team at govtrelations@brocku.ca.

“Lobbying”

Lobbying is defined as communicating with a public office holder in an attempt to influence:

  • The development of any legislative proposal by the Government of Ontario or by a member of the Legislative Assembly
  • The introduction of any bill or resolution in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario or the passage, defeat or amendment of any bill or resolution that is before the Legislative Assembly
  • The making or amendment of any regulation
  • The development or amendment of any policy or program of the Government of Ontario or the termination of any program of the Government of Ontario
  • A decision by the Executive Council to transfer from the Crown for consideration all or part of, or any interest in or asset of, any business, enterprise or institution that provides goods or services to the Crown or to the public
  • A decision by the Executive Council, a committee of the Executive Council or a minister of the Crown to have the private sector instead of the Crown provide goods or services to the Crown
  • The awarding of any grant, contribution or other financial benefit by or on behalf of the Crown.

Communications involve any form of communication, including indirect grass-roots communication such as a website or social media that encourages members of the public to communicate with public office holders directly.

Exceptions

Registration is not required in respect of the following:

  • Any oral or written submission made in proceedings that are a matter of public record to a committee of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario or to any body or person having jurisdiction or powers conferred by or under an Act
  • Any oral or written submission made to a public office holder by an individual on behalf of a person, partnership or organization, with respect to:
    • The enforcement, interpretation or application of any Act or regulation made under any Act by that public office holder and with respect to that person, partnership or organization, or
    • The implementation or administration of any policy, program, directive or guideline by that public office holder and with respect to that person, partnership or organization
  • Any oral or written submission made to a public office holder in direct response to a written request from a public office holder for advice or comment in respect of any matter referred to in the definition of lobbying above
  • Any oral or written submission made to a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by an individual on behalf of a constituent of the member with respect to any personal matter of that constituent unless the submission is made in respect of
    • The development of any legislative proposal by the Government of Ontario or by a member of the Legislative Assembly, or
    • The introduction of any bill or resolution in the Legislative Assembly or the passage, defeat or amendment of any bill or resolution that is before the Legislative Assembly concerning a private bill for the special benefit of that constituent.

Conflict of interest

Please note, lobbying activities cannot knowingly place a public office holder in a position of real or potential conflict of interest. This may include accepting gifts.

If you have any further questions about Brock’s requirements under the Lobbyist Registration Act please contact Brock’s government relations team at govtrelations@brocku.ca