Attorney General Doug Downey said the PC’s are making progress on a long-stalled review of Ontario's lobbying legislation.
The Ford government is advancing on the Lobbyists Registration Act review, a process that was originally set to begin in 2021, but it was repeatedly delayed.
Under Ontario’s current regime, the most severe punishment for breaking the rules that govern lobbyists is a two-year ban on lobbying.
Downey acknowledged recent feedback from Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake, who has been a vocal advocate for strengthening the province's lobbying laws. “We’re making progress, thanks in large part to input from the commissioner,” Downey said this week during a question period response.
The Ontario's Lobbyists Registration Act, which dates back to 1998, governs the activities of lobbyists seeking to influence provincial policy. Despite some amendments over the years, including a mandate for review every five years, the law hasn’t received a comprehensive evaluation since 2016.
The urgency surrounding the review was intensified in the wake of the Greenbelt controversy last year. Both the Ontario auditor general and the integrity commissioner found that some developers gained access to senior political officials, raising questions about lobbying practices in the province.
In the special Greenbelt report released on Aug. 9, 2023, Bonnie Lysyk, the former auditor general, recommended launching the lobbying review, along with granting broader powers to the integrity commissioner to monitor compliance.
Downey's office said in a statement in September last year that the Ford government will soon propose for a committee to review lobbying law, including looking at "jail time" for rule breakers.
Integrity Commissioner Wake himself has been pressing for this review for several years, using his annual reports to recommend specific changes, such as lowering the 50-hour threshold that allows in-house lobbyists to avoid registration requirements. His suggestions also include stricter definitions of conflict of interest and new regulations to address political involvement by lobbyists.
At this Tuesday’s question period, Downey hinted that the review may look to other jurisdictions in Canada for insights.
“I’ve had experience with the federal lobbying registry and have been examining models across the country,” he said.
Downey’s office didn’t reply by deadline about any specifics in the review, nor when exactly the start date for the review process will be.