Mayor Foster Proposes Province-Wide Lobbyist Registry System

During the General Government Committee meeting on November 6, 2023, Mayor A. Foster presented a proposal for a province-wide lobbyist registry system. The resolution, numbered GG-187-23, was moved by Councillor Zwart and seconded by Councillor Anderson. The proposal highlights that many lobbyists in Ontario operate across multiple municipal settings and levels of government, indicating a need for a consistent system to regulate lobbying activities. The resolution calls for amendments to subsections 223.11 and 223.12 of the Municipal Act to create, define, and administer a provincial-wide municipal lobbyist registry for Ontario municipalities. This registry would be developed in consultation with the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Association of Ontario (AMCTO) and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and would be administered by a Provincial registrar. The resolution was carried and will be distributed to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, local Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), AMCTO, and AMO.