Once a month, we partner up with LobbyIQ to update our readers on recent movements in the federal lobbying landscape in Ottawa. We provide separate coverage for each channel, defined by the most relevant industries, organizations, institutions, and subject matters.

Key Takeaways — Construction

• Lobbying activity totalled 114 meetings in February 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 115.4.
• The biggest moves were in Cement, concrete and building materials manufacturing and Construction (buildings).
• Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, Canadian Home Builders' Association were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in February 2026 Data

Build Canada Homes Gains Crown Status, Expands Land Powers

February saw the tabling of legislation to establish Build Canada Homes as a Crown corporation, granting it authority for land acquisition and partnership with private developers. This coincided with intensified lobbying engagements from groups such as the Canadian Home Builders' Association and Rosaline J Hill Architect Inc. with Finance Canada and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, focused on aligning private housing projects with federal priorities and expanding both market-rate and community housing policies.

📎 Government tables bill giving Build Canada Homes land acquisition power

Senate Urges More Innovation and GST Rebates in Housing

A Senate committee report released in January called for expanded GST rebates, reduced development charges, and modular housing, echoing themes in February’s construction lobbying from the Canadian Home Builders' Association and Borderless Modular Homes. Lobbyists, including the West End Home Builders' Association in discussions with the House of Commons, have specifically pushed for indexed GST rebate thresholds and increased innovation funding with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Finance Canada, closely mirroring the committee’s recommendations.

📎 Out of Reach: Unlocking Canada's housing affordability crisis

Federal Housing Advocate: Strategy, Workforce and Rights

The Federal Housing Advocate's annual report for 2025–2026 coincided with a spike in lobbying by the Canadian Home Builders' Association and Mattamy Homes Canada, both engaged with Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada and Finance Canada, aimed at reforming immigration policies to attract skilled residential construction workers. The report’s call for a renewed national housing strategy and enhanced industry-government partnerships aligns with the construction sector’s push for workforce expansion and affordable housing supply, as advocated by groups like Borderless Modular Homes and the Canadian Construction Association in meetings with Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada.

📎 The Federal Housing Advocate's 2025–2026 Annual Report

Persistent Lobbying Fuels Policy Change Amid High Meeting Volumes

Construction sector lobbying surged in February, with the Canadian Home Builders' Association, CHRA Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, and Canadian Construction Association engaging institutions including Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada, particularly targeting issues around innovation funding, affordable housing standards, workforce development, and regulatory modernization. This activity coincides with landmark federal policy shifts, suggesting a responsive dynamic between sector advocacy and government initiatives.

📎 Federal government announces new workforce alliances to address ...

Section B: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by NAICS industry, the lobbying activity in Ottawa last month to its historical average.

Lobbying activity across this channel totalled 114 meetings in February 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 115. The most active industry was Construction (buildings), while Cement, concrete and building materials manufacturing fell below its recent baseline.

Construction (buildings) logged 38 meetings, up from an average of 31.

Cement, concrete and building materials manufacturing had 10 meetings, down from an average of 25.

Section C: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize, we show each industry's lobbying activity over the past 12 months. The combined view from Section B and C shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-02

↳ Construction (buildings) has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Construction (buildings) displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Cement, concrete and building materials manufacturing has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Cement, concrete and building materials manufacturing displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Real estate and housing has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Real estate and housing displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Specialty trade contractors displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Construction (heavy and civil infrastructure) displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Section D: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, Canadian Home Builders' Association, and Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Incorporated.

On the quieter side, Heidelberg Materials, and Canadian Construction Association all pulled back from their usual pace.

Section E: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every time an organization lobbies, there is a government official representing a government institution at the other side of the table. This section shows the industry-institutions pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity. Below that, we show the corresponding organization-institution pairs.

Industries → Government Institutions

Organizations → Government Institutions

The busiest industry → institution corridors this month:

↳ Real estate and housing → House of Commons: 14 meetings (avg 10, +45%).

↳ Construction (buildings) → Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC): 11 meetings (avg 7, +55%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada → House of Commons: 7 meetings (avg 3, +115%).

↳ West End Home Builders' Association → House of Commons: 6 meetings (avg 1, +324%).

↳ Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Incorporated → Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC): 4 meetings (avg 1, +433%).

Section F: Industry and Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

All lobbying activity is tagged with a "subject matter". This section shows the industry-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity, and below it the organization-subject pairs with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month.

Industries → Subjects

Organizations → Subjects

The busiest industry → subject corridors this month:

↳ Mining (metal ore) → Infrastructure: 62 meetings (avg 37, +69%).

↳ Universities, colleges and research institutes → Infrastructure: 56 meetings (avg 45, +25%).

↳ Indigenous public administration → Infrastructure: 44 meetings (avg 30, +46%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Union of Public Employees → Infrastructure: 24 meetings (avg 2, +1100%).

↳ Canadian Union of Public Employees → Housing: 24 meetings (avg 2, +1100%).

↳ TELESAT CANADA → Infrastructure: 19 meetings (avg 11, +78%).

Section G: Last Month's Most Lobbied Politicians and Civil Servants

This section presents a list of the politicians and civil servants who took the most meetings with key industry players last month.

Most Lobbied Individuals by Sector

Most Lobbied Individuals by Organization

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by sector) this month were Construction (buildings) → Lisa Xie (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)), Real estate and housing → Eamonn Schwartz (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)) and Construction (buildings) → Ryan Spero (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada → Nadine LeBlanc (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)), Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Incorporated → Lisa Xie (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)) and CEMENT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA → Remi Gagnon (Finance Canada (FIN)).