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Registry shows fewer lobbyists in Collingwood last year

Number of lobbyists lowest in 2022 since start of program in 2020
2023-03-06cwoodcounciljo-005
Collingwood council chambers is on the second floor of town hall at 97 Hurontario Street.

There were 40 people registered as lobbyists with the Town of Collingwood last year, the lowest number since the program began in 2020. 

Town staff attribute the decrease, at least in part, to a lame duck period prior to and following the last municipal election in October, 2021, and the transition to a new council. Some of the lobbying activity also took place over several months for single projects, which could have impacted the number of people on the lobbyist registry. 

In 2020, there were 72 lobbyists registered for 76 acts of lobbying, and in 2021 there were 66 registered for 87 acts of lobbying. 

Michael Trueman, the town’s manager of accountability, procurement and risk management, presented the lobbying activity update to council’s committee of the whole on June 6. 

“Transparent, publicly registered, and appropriate lobbying is a normal municipal process … those lobbying can advocate for positive change in our community,” stated Trueman during his report. 

Lobbying refers to communication with someone in a public office with the goal of influencing decisions, policy, and/or purchasing. Public office holders include council, town committee and board members, people contracted to the town for professional services, and staff. 

The 49 acts of lobbying that took place in 2022 was mostly directed at council members (62%) compared to staff members (38%).

“The lobbyist registry program has been a great success story for the town,” said Trueman during his presentation. “At the time of implementation, Collingwood was the smallest municipality in Ontario to have created such a program.” 

The registry program also includes penalties for lobbyists who contravene the bylaw and code of conduct. A first offence carries a 30-day ban on lobbying activities for the offender, a second offence gets a 60-day ban, and subsequent offences can result in longer bans at the discretion of the lobbyist registrar. 

Mayor Yvonne Hamlin, who was attending the meeting virtually from a conference of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, asked Trueman about the responsibilities of the people being lobbied. 

“I had understood that it’s not council’s responsibility to make sure that someone registers as a lobbyist … that it may behoove us to suggest that they register when we’re meeting with them … but there’s no specific responsibility on a council member,” she said. “Is that right?” 

Trueman said the person being lobbied is responsible to mention the lobbyist registry process. 

“Whichever public officer holder that’s participating in the lobbying action, it’s up to them to mention it and to make sure that they’re aware that the program exists and make sure the name has been registered,” said Trueman. 

According to the town’s lobbyist registry bylaw, the responsibilities of a public office holder are to respond promptly to any requests from the lobbyist registrar, and to end any lobbying by someone who is prohibited from lobbying in the Town of Collingwood and to report the prohibited action. 

“We do prefer you wait [to talk to a lobbyist] until after they have been registered, but we understand it can come up in conversation, so that’s why we ask to register within ten days,” said Trueman. 

A lobbyist must register every year if they wish to continue the activity.

Collingwood council passed a lobbyist registry bylaw and lobbyist code of conduct in January 2020. 

Since then, some updates have been made to the process, including hiring a third-party lobbyist registrar, Principles Integrity, in 2021 to handle the duties of registering lobbyists and their activity with the town. The recommendation to have a third-party registrar was included in the list of recommendations made by the commissioner following the Collingwood judicial inquiry in 2019. 

Last year, the town paid Principles Integrity $2,110.54 for registrar services. 

The top three areas of focus for the lobbying that took place in 2022 were planning and development (10), information technology (7), and parks, recreation and culture (7). Economic development (6) and environment and water/sewer (6) rounded out the top-five departments. 

Collingwood’s lobbyist registry is available and searchable on the town’s website. 

For the full update on the lobbyist registry and historical data, read the staff report online here.


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Erika Engel

About the Author: Erika Engel

Erika regularly covers all things news in Collingwood as a reporter and editor. She has 15 years of experience as a local journalist
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