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 — Higher Ed, 2026-03

• Overall, lobbying across this channel's industries totalled 276 meetings in March 2026, compared to a 12-month average of 221.7 (+25%). This represents a notable increase.
• The organizations with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include: The University of British Columbia, Siksika Board of Education, University of Victoria.
• The individual most lobbied by Universities was Nipun Vats (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).

📰 Real-World Implications — Higher Ed, 2026-03

Federal Research Priorities Drive Surge in Lobbying

The notable increase in lobbying activity by universities and educational services coincides with the release of Canada's ambitious new research agenda for 2026, which channels billions into research infrastructure, talent recruitment and interdisciplinary collaborations. This suggests the sector is actively seeking to secure a share of the expanded funding streams, such as the CFI Innovation Fund and the Impact+ Research Chairs program, both of which began to accept intakes in March 2026.

📎 Canada Federal Research Priorities 2026: University Funding · Canada’s priorities for 2026: What they mean for research and innovation

Universities Advocate Amidst Revenue Instability and Policy Shifts

The historically high and volatile lobbying from universities and educational services likely reflects their response to financial instability caused by caps or cuts to international student enrolment and broader calls for restructuring research funding toward federal priorities. With ongoing criticism of 'woke' research and EDI measures and the new Capstone agency centralizing research funding, post-secondary institutions are lobbying proactively to defend both their autonomy and access to federal resources.

📎 Alternative federal budget 2026: Post-secondary education · Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s 2025-26 Departmental Plan

Focus Intensifies on Science, Technology, and National Defence

Lobbying increases toward institutions like the House of Commons, ISED, and National Defence—and on subject matters such as R&D and science/technology—highlight sector alignment with federal priorities. Canada’s 2025 budget promises major investments in economic growth, defence, and technological innovation in response to global instability and national security concerns, spurring higher education stakeholders to assert influence over the shape and distribution of these new spending commitments.

📎 Canada’s priorities for 2026: What they mean for research and innovation · Budget release: Canada courts US researchers and signals wider commitment to science

Event-Driven Lobbying Signals Competition for Strategic Funding Opportunities

Sharp, irregular spikes—particularly from organizations like the University of British Columbia and Siksika Board of Education—suggest event-driven advocacy tied to competitive grant windows or special funding calls. For example, the Canada Excellence Research Chairs and CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC programs have 2026 calls coinciding with these lobbying surges, indicating that institutions are mobilizing to secure competitive, high-value grants during limited application periods.

📎 Canada Excellence Research Chairs - Home · Upcoming funding opportunities - CIHR

Decline in Science and Engineering Research Lobbying Reflects Shifting Policy Focus

The drop in lobbying by science and engineering research organizations may signal either satisfaction with recent funding allocations, or a strategic pivot to wait for the outcomes of major funding competitions and organizational restructuring. Given the federal government's push for alignment with its R&D and innovation objectives, organizations in traditional research areas may be regrouping to recalibrate their strategies in light of changing funding criteria.

📎 Federal Science and Technology Expenditures and Personnel · Canada’s priorities for 2026: What they mean for research and innovation

Section A: Lobbying Activity by Industry

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

Overall, lobbying across this channel's industries totalled 276 meetings in March 2026, compared to a 12-month average of 221.7 (+25%). This represents a notable increase.

Educational services experienced a significant surge in lobbying activity — 41 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 19.8 (+107%).

Universities, colleges and research institutes experienced a notable increase in lobbying activity — 221 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 178.2 (+24%).

↳ Compared to the same month in prior years (avg 142), this is a significant surge (+56%).

Science and engineering research saw a notable decline in lobbying activity — 14 meetings vs. a 12-month average of 23.7 (-41%).

Section B: 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 A and B shows you whether recent differences are persistent trends or a break from the norm.

Top Industry Residual Trends for 2026-03

Universities, colleges and research institutes ended March 2026 with a residual of +49.3, well above its expected trend.

↳ Universities, colleges and research institutes has shown a broadly upward trend in lobbying residuals over the past year.

↳ Universities, colleges and research institutes displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

Educational services ended March 2026 with a residual of +21.1, well above its expected trend.

↳ Educational services has shown a broadly upward trend in lobbying residuals over the past year.

↳ Educational services displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

↳ Science and engineering research displayed high volatility in its lobbying pattern, suggesting irregular or event-driven activity.

Section C: 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: The University of British Columbia, Siksika Board of Education, University of Victoria.

↳ The University of British Columbia: 26 meetings vs. 6.8 average (+280%).

↳ Siksika Board of Education: 15 meetings vs. 1.8 average (+757%).

↳ University of Victoria: 16 meetings vs. 4.3 average (+269%).

Section D: 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

Notable industry → institution pairs this month:

↳ Universities, colleges and ... → House of Commons: 63 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 41.4, +52%).

↳ Universities, colleges and ... → Innovation, Science and Eco...: 52 meetings (notable increase vs. avg 37.9, +37%).

↳ Universities, colleges and ... → National Defence (DND): 19 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 9.6, +98%).

Notable organization → institution pairs this month:

↳ Siksika Board of Education → House of Commons: 8 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 0.8, +967%).

↳ University of Alberta → Innovation, Science and Eco...: 7 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 2.2, +211%).

↳ University of Victoria → House of Commons: 7 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 1.3, +425%).

Section E: 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

Notable industry → subject pairs this month:

↳ Universities, colleges and ... → Research and Development: 161 meetings (notable increase vs. avg 116.8, +38%).

↳ Universities, colleges and ... → Science and Technology: 133 meetings (notable increase vs. avg 99.5, +34%).

↳ Universities, colleges and ... → Education: 100 meetings (notable increase vs. avg 81.8, +22%).

Notable organization → subject pairs this month:

↳ Unifor → Employment and Training: 78 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 6.6, +1085%).

↳ Aerospace Industries Associ... → Science and Technology: 27 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 8.2, +227%).

↳ Aerospace Industries Associ... → Research and Development: 27 meetings (significant surge vs. avg 8.2, +227%).

Section F: 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

The individual most lobbied by Universities was Nipun Vats (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).