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 — Hospitality & Retail

• Lobbying activity totalled 74 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 63.5.
• The biggest moves were in Cruise lines and Restaurants.
• Restaurants Canada, Cruise Lines International Association were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in April 2026 Data

Tighter Immigration Policies Strain Hospitality Staffing

The federal government's decision in March 2026 to scale back immigration targets, notably for temporary residents, has intensified concerns over workforce shortages in restaurants and hotels—a pressure point highlighted in recent meetings between the Hotel Association of Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), as well as Restaurants Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This coincides with renewed advocacy by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and industry associations seeking policy solutions for employment volatility and housing challenges affecting sector resilience.

📎 Legislative Changes That Will Impact Canadian Restaurants In 2026

Excise Duty Increases Squeeze Restaurant Margins

A federal hike in excise duties on alcohol from April 2026 is adding pressure to beverage cost structures across hospitality businesses, as noted in discussions between Restaurants Canada and the House of Commons. Heightened lobbying activity on taxation reflects widespread concerns around shrinking margins, with sector groups such as the National Golf Course Association of Canada and the Canadian RV Coalition, alongside Restaurants Canada, pushing for adjustments to small business tax deductions with Finance Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to offset increased operational outlays.

📎 Legislative Changes That Will Impact Canadian Restaurants In 2026

Operating Cost Surges Spur Calls for Investment Support

With operating costs in hospitality rising sharply—driven by wage growth and new minimum wage laws—industry groups including the Hotel Association of Canada, Restaurants Canada, and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada have intensified calls through meetings with the House of Commons and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada for investment incentives, higher capital cost allowance rates, and easier access to mixed-use financing. April’s lobbying surge on these points, led by these organisations, reflects a sector-wide push to maintain competitiveness and address persistent margin pressures.

📎 2026 Canada Hospitality Outlook: Growth, Risks & Wellness Trends | HUB ...

Canadian Hotels’ Record Revenues Mask Stability Fears

Despite hitting record revenue per available room in April 2026, the Canadian hotel industry faces uneven profitability due to regional demand volatility and ongoing cost escalations. Hotel Association of Canada’s lobbying with the House of Commons for targeted fiscal support and workforce strategies, including access to CMHC financing and improvements to the temporary foreign worker program, closely tracks persistent calls for measures to ensure long-term sector stability. Similarly, Tourism Industry Association of Canada has engaged the House of Commons on enhancing the competitiveness of tourism companies, underscoring the sector’s need for sustained government partnership.

📎 Canada Hotels & Chains Report 2026 – Horwath HTL

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 74 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 63. The most active industry was Restaurants, while Cruise lines rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Restaurants logged 17 meetings, up from an average of 10, Cruise lines logged 16 meetings, up from an average of 8, Hotels and traveler accommodation logged 12 meetings, up from an average of 7, and Camping and RV parks logged 4 meetings, up from an average of 2.

On the quieter side, Recreation and amusement industries had 5 meetings, down from an average of 8, Travel and tourism services had 6 meetings, down from an average of 8, Spectator sports had 7 meetings, down from an average of 10, and Gambling industries had 2 meetings, down from an average of 4.

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 2026-04

↳ Cruise lines displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

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

↳ Travel and tourism services has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Travel and tourism services displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Hotels and traveler accommodation displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Gambling industries 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 Restaurants Canada, Cruise Lines International Association, Hotel Association of Canada, Werklund Centre, and National Golf Course Owners Association (Canada).

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:

↳ Restaurants → House of Commons: 11 meetings (avg 6, +91%).

↳ Cruise lines → Transport Canada (TC): 9 meetings (avg 3, +170%).

↳ Hotels and traveler accommodation → House of Commons: 5 meetings (avg 3, +82%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Restaurants Canada → House of Commons: 10 meetings (avg 4, +167%).

↳ Cruise Lines International Association → Transport Canada (TC): 5 meetings (avg 1, +567%).

↳ Hotel Association of Canada → House of Commons: 5 meetings (avg 3, +88%).

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:

↳ Cruise lines → Environment: 16 meetings (avg 8, +96%).

↳ Cruise lines → Regional Development: 15 meetings (avg 8, +91%).

↳ Restaurants → Taxation and Finance: 14 meetings (avg 5, +158%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Restaurants Canada → Taxation and Finance: 14 meetings (avg 5, +175%).

↳ Rick Hansen Foundation → Sports: 13 meetings (avg 4, +232%).

↳ Restaurants Canada → Employment and Training: 11 meetings (avg 4, +200%).

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 Event and entertainment organizations → Luke Guimond (House of Commons), Cruise lines → Owen Crawford-Lem (Transport Canada (TC)) and Recreation and amusement industries → Fahim Khan (Finance Canada (FIN)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Association des théâtres francophones du Canada → Luke Guimond (House of Commons), Werklund Centre → Annina Plummer (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)) and Canadian Ski Council → Fahim Khan (Finance Canada (FIN)).