On April 26, 2017 Council approved the implementation of a voluntary lobbyist registry. The purpose of the registry is to provide transparency on lobbying activities in the City of Winnipeg.
Lobbyists are not required by legislation to register their activities; however registration on a voluntary basis is encouraged in order to enhance the transparency and integrity of business conducted.
View the complete listing of registered Lobbyists
Registration
Lobbyists should register within 10 days after their activity by completing the voluntary registration form in full.
If the lobbying activity involved more than one elected official or governmental decision maker at the same time, all of the names can be filled out on one form.
If the lobbying activity involved only one elected official or governmental decision maker at a time, individual forms must be filled out. Please note that all information collected for this registry is publicly disclosed, unless specified otherwise.
Lobbyist qualifications
A lobbyist is an individual who, when representing a financial or business interest, or the financial interest of a not-for-profit with paid staff, communicates with a public official with the intent of influencing a decision on governmental matters outside of the standard process. Some general examples include:
- A Board member who receives remuneration and meets with a public official to obtain a grant
- A member of an association who contacts a Councillor to advocate for specific infrastructure priorities
- An employee of a company who meets with a City of Winnipeg employee to discuss changes to funding agreements
Learn more about registering as a lobbyist.
Persons not considered lobbyists
The following are examples of individuals who would not be considered lobbyists:
- Individuals who are not paid for communicating with a governmental decision maker
- Individuals who do not represent a business or financial interest
- Individuals who are part of a not-for-profit organization with no paid staff
- Individuals acting in an official capacity as a government or public sector official
- Individuals who are communicating as part of a standard process or an open civic forum, such as:
- speaking on the public record during a Council or Committee of Council meeting
- any communication that occurs on the record and during a public process, such as a public meeting or an open house
Examples include:
- Citizens calling in regards to issues with snow clearing or waste removal
- A City employee or an MLA meeting with a Councillor regarding an issue or program
- Delegations appearing before a Committee of Council
View the Lobbyist Registry Decision Tree for further clarification.
Additional questions
For more information about registering as a lobbyist, please contact the the City Clerk's Department by email or contact 311.