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 — Freight & Ports

• Lobbying activity totalled 175 meetings in February 2026, up from a 12-month average of 126.1.
• The biggest moves were in Airports and support activities for air transportation and Freight transportation arrangement.
• Trigon Pacific Terminals Limited, Greater Toronto Airports Authority were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in February 2026 Data

Reforms Proposed for Trade and Transport Projects

The federal government’s announcement of sweeping reforms to speed up trade and transport projects coincides with surges in lobbying this February over airport infrastructure, border enforcement, and port modernization, with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority engaging the House of Commons and British Columbia Maritime Employers Association in discussion with Transport Canada. Industry groups such as Sultran Ltd. and the Western Canadian Short Line Railway Association intensified engagement on regulatory approvals and competitiveness as policymakers discussed designating National Trade Corridors and modernizing governance frameworks.

📎 Canada proposes reforms to accelerate trade and transport projects ...

Port Privatization Debate Fuels Infrastructure Lobbying

The renewed national debate over privatizing Canada’s cargo ports, including calls to close a $21.5 billion port infrastructure gap, comes amid intense lobbying by organizations such as Sultran Ltd., Vopak Development Canada Inc., and the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association, who are engaging with federal departments including Transport Canada and Finance Canada for regulatory modernization and capital investment. As Canada faces competitive pressure and seeks export diversification, increased lobbying from stakeholders like Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc. reflects efforts to influence asset recycling and upgrade discussions.

📎 Privatizing Canada’s cargo ports is key to Carney government’s $1 ...

Record Port Throughput and Trade Realignment

Canada’s ports reported record cargo volumes in 2026, especially at Vancouver and Prince Rupert, as operators such as DP World (Canada) Inc. and Vopak Development Canada Inc. shifted focus from US routes to overseas markets. This transition aligns with heightened lobbying on infrastructure, quotas, and trade competitiveness from groups including the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association and Mobil Grain Group in discussions with Transport Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, reflecting industry concerns about adapting to shifting global demand and American protectionism.

📎 Canada Port Statistics 2026 | Volume, Growth & Key Trade Infrastructure ...

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 175 meetings in February 2026, up from a 12-month average of 126. The most active industry was Airports and support activities for air transportation, while Ports and support activities for water transportation rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Rail transportation logged 21 meetings, up from an average of 16, Delivery services logged 5 meetings, up from an average of 2, Warehousing and storage logged 3 meetings, up from an average of 0, Airports and support activities for air transportation logged 46 meetings, up from an average of 27, Ports and support activities for water transportation logged 33 meetings, up from an average of 20, and Freight transportation arrangement logged 21 meetings, up from an average of 7.

On the quieter side, Truck transportation had 4 meetings, down from an average of 11, and Railroad rolling stock manufacturing had no lobbying meetings this month, down from an average of 3.

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

↳ Freight transportation arrangement has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Freight transportation arrangement displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Airports and support activities for air transportation has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Airports and support activities for air transportation displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Air transportation has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Air transportation displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Ports and support activities for water transportation has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Ports and support activities for water transportation displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Railroad rolling stock manufacturing 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 Trigon Pacific Terminals Limited, Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Goderich Port Management Corp., Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, and Watco Companies LLC.

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:

↳ Air transportation → Transport Canada (TC): 18 meetings (avg 8, +120%).

↳ Airports and support activities for air transportation → House of Commons: 15 meetings (avg 7, +114%).

↳ Airports and support activities for air transportation → Transport Canada (TC): 13 meetings (avg 9, +44%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Greater Toronto Airports Authority → House of Commons: 9 meetings (avg 1, +671%).

↳ WestJet Airlines Ltd. → Transport Canada (TC): 5 meetings (avg 1, +329%).

↳ Vancouver International Airport Authority → Global Affairs Canada (GAC): 5 meetings (avg 1, +567%).

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:

↳ Airports and support activities for air transportation → Transportation: 44 meetings (avg 28, +60%).

↳ Aerospace product and parts manufacturing → Transportation: 35 meetings (avg 17, +106%).

↳ Ports and support activities for water transportation → Transportation: 33 meetings (avg 20, +69%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Air Products Canada Ltd. → Transportation: 18 meetings (avg 6, +188%).

↳ Semiahmoo First Nation → Transportation: 18 meetings (avg 2, +620%).

↳ Trigon Pacific Terminals Limited → Infrastructure: 15 meetings (avg 2, +900%).

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 Airports and support activities for air transportation → Emmaleigh Munro (Transport Canada (TC)), Air transportation → Arun Thangaraj (Transport Canada (TC)) and Air transportation → James Christie (Transport Canada (TC)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Greater Toronto Airports Authority → Fares Al Soud (House of Commons), British Columbia Maritime Employers Association → Sarah Jackson (Transport Canada (TC)) and French bee → Arun Thangaraj (Transport Canada (TC)).