Lobbyist Registration Compliance

 

In May 2020, changes to BC’s lobbying laws came into effect under the province’s Lobby Transparency Act’s (LTA), which required organizations in BC to track, register and report particular provincial government relations activity and funding. The new reporting regulations are required of all sectors and industries. This changes the way organizations and businesses record and report certain communications with the provincial government that are defined as lobbying.

Much research and dialogue between the province, DHQ, THQ, and lobbying law experts was undertaken for better understanding of our division’s obligations under these new laws.

To ensure our division’s officers and staff understood and were equipped regarding regulatory requirements related to their meetings and written communications with governments, several informative webinars were produced by Divisional Public Affairs and offered to BC ministry units.

A Lobbying Toolkit with supplemental resources and link to the webinar was developed and distributed to ministry units to further assist in knowledge & responsibilities in respect to reporting any lobbying activities undertaken and ensure compliance with regulations.

As noted from Territorial Public Affairs Office:

“The BC Division has taken a strong leadership role in educating and equipping its frontline ministry unit staff with the tools they need to ensure compliance at the provincial level, which could serve as a model for other parts of the country, as well as federally.”

It is important officers and staff be aware of lobbying responsibilities, and the significant role they play in ensuring our divisions compliance to this legislation.