What happened: B.C.’s new Lobbyists Transparency Act will come into force on May 4.
Why it matters: All lobbyists will be required to register and report their monthly lobbying activities.
In just over a month, new legislation to make government lobbying more transparent will come into force.
As of May 4, all government lobbyists will be required to register with B.C.’s Lobbyists Registry and begin reporting their monthly lobbying activities.
The changes are part of B.C.’s new Lobbyists Transparency Act, which replaces the Lobbyists Registration Act, and includes amendments already passed by the provincial government.
Under the current legislation, organizations that have lobbied for less than 100 hours over the last 12 months are not required to register. The new legislation eliminates that threshold and, as a result, B.C.’s Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists (ORL) anticipates that many organizations will be required to register. All lobbyists will also be required to report their monthly lobbying activities.
The ORL will host two free webcasts in April to explain upcoming legislative changes to lobbyists, organizations and the general public.
Details of those virtual events are available on the ORL’s website.
