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 — ICT & Cybersecurity

• Lobbying activity totalled 273 meetings in February 2026, up from a 12-month average of 181.4.
• The biggest moves were in Software and Computing and IT services.
• Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI, Salesforce.com Canada Corporation were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in February 2026 Data

Cybersecurity Law Reform Corresponds with Telecom and Security Lobbying Push

The formal passage of Bill C-8 in June 2026 restructured cybersecurity obligations for critical sectors, coinciding with intense lobbying in February by TELUS Corporation and Bell Canada at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), along with Google Canada Corporation and Dell Technologies Canada at the House of Commons, as telecommunications and security stakeholders advocated for regulatory clarity and competitive access. This surge in meetings reflects efforts by industry actors, including Qorsa Corp. engaging with National Defence (DND), to influence the shape and implementation of the law’s new compliance requirements as legislative momentum accelerated.

📎 Bill C-8 Is Now Law: Canada's Cybersecurity Act Explained (2026)

AI Strategy Rollout Aligns with Technology Industry Advocacy

The June launch of Canada's sweeping National AI Strategy, emphasizing workplace AI adoption and procurement reforms, closely tracks with an uptick in February lobbying by software companies and platform providers such as Dell Technologies Canada and Q-Block Computing Inc. Lobbyists, meeting with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the Privy Council Office (PCO), focused on shaping federal support programs and policies in areas highlighted by the strategy, likely aiming to secure early influence as the government mobilized new funding and infrastructure initiatives.

📎 Canada unveils AI strategy with plans for widespread adoption, data ... · Carney's AI strategy promises over $2B in funding, aims to create ...

Multi-Sector Lobbying Surges Amid Privacy and Digital Policy Consultations

Industry groups representing software, cloud, and social media, including Salesforce.com Canada Corporation, Facebook Canada Ltd., and Dell Technologies Canada, dramatically increased engagement in early 2026 with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the House of Commons as the government’s privacy and data consultation processes ramped up, culminating in a public AI policy report in March. The overlap suggests coordinated attempts to shape reforms to copyright, personal data, and online platform regulation during a formative policy window.

📎 Canada Publishes Report Summarizing Input Received for its Renewed ... · Year in review 2025: Canadian digital policy | Gowling WLG

Creation of Ministry of AI and Digital Innovation Drives Targeted Lobbying

Early 2026 saw technology lobbyists from Miovision Technologies Incorporated, Dell Technologies Canada, and BlackBerry Limited intensifying contacts with Canada’s new Ministry of AI and Digital Innovation and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), particularly around procurement reforms and domestic AI sovereignty. This reorganization of federal oversight appears to have provided industry with a focused channel for advocacy, as legislative and funding frameworks for AI were actively under construction.

📎 What Canada’s New Ministry of AI Means for Businesses in 2026

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 273 meetings in February 2026, up from a 12-month average of 181. The most active industry was Software, while Telecommunications rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Broadcast media production and distribution logged 15 meetings, up from an average of 8, Software logged 107 meetings, up from an average of 46, Digital media and social networks logged 15 meetings, up from an average of 8, Computing and IT services logged 48 meetings, up from an average of 38, and Security and investigation services logged 6 meetings, up 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

Software saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in February 2026.

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

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

↳ Broadcast media production and distribution has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

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

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

↳ Computer and electronic product manufacturing has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Computing and IT services has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Computing and IT services 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 Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI, Salesforce.com Canada Corporation, Facebook Canada Ltd., and TELESAT CANADA.

On the quieter side, TELUS Corporation pulled back from its 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:

↳ Software → House of Commons: 43 meetings (avg 9, +378%).

↳ Software → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 17 meetings (avg 8, +106%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI → House of Commons: 25 meetings (avg 2, +1054%).

↳ Facebook Canada Ltd. → House of Commons: 9 meetings (avg 1, +731%).

↳ Rogers Communications Inc. → House of Commons: 8 meetings (avg 4, +113%).

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:

↳ Software → Research and Development: 55 meetings (avg 8, +553%).

↳ Software → Science and Technology: 50 meetings (avg 23, +121%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI → Foreign Affairs: 31 meetings (avg 3, +854%).

↳ Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI → National Security/Security: 31 meetings (avg 3, +854%).

↳ Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI → Research and Development: 31 meetings (avg 3, +854%).

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 Telecommunications → Chris Padfield (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)), Telecommunications → Matt Hall (Prime Minister's Office (PMO)) and Software → Matthew O'Connell (Finance Canada (FIN)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were TELESAT CANADA → Matt Hall (Prime Minister's Office (PMO)), Facebook Canada Ltd. → Dominque O'Rourke (House of Commons) and Salesforce.com Canada Corporation → Mark Schaan (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).