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 348 meetings in May 2026, up from a 12-month average of 237.5.
• The biggest moves were in Software and Digital media and social networks.
• Facebook Canada Ltd., Canadian Corps of Commissionaires were more active than usual.

Real-World Context — ICT & Cybersecurity, May 2026

Surge in Meetings Coincides with Lawful Access Bill C-22 Push

The marked increase in Software, Security, and Digital Media lobbying in May 2026 coincides with the rapid advancement of Bill C-22, the Lawful Access Act, through Parliament. Official records show these organizations were heavily engaged with the government over core aspects of lawful access obligations, cloud-based services, and privacy. As the bill passed third reading in the House on June 18, 2026, this activity aligns with the critical legislative window where digital service providers could affect policy that reshapes their compliance, technical builds, and user privacy rights.

📎 C-22 (45-1) - LEGISinfo - Parliament of Canada · Bill C-22: Strengthening Canada’s lawful access regime · ICLMG Brief on Bill C-22

Digital Media and Social Platform Lobbying Rises Amid Online Safety Bill

Lobbying from digital media and social network companies spiked in May, coinciding with the government's introduction of Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act. This sweeping proposal would ban under-16s from mainstream platforms, impose stringent age-verification and content moderation requirements, and create a powerful new digital regulator. The bill’s introduction on June 10, 2026, directly follows a documented surge in meetings with government over digital safety, platform operations, and regulatory risk—making this a high-stakes period for sector engagement.

📎 Canada’s Social Media Ban: Under-16 Bill C-34 [2026] · Government of Canada introduces legislation to make social media services and AI chatbots safer for children · An overview of Canada’s Safe Social Media Act (Bill C-34)

AI and Software Firms Intensify Lobbying As National Strategy Launches

Lobbying on AI, software, and related fields ran above trend through May 2026, coinciding with the federal government's unveiling of the new National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, 'AI for All', on June 4. Meeting descriptions reveal direct discussions around Canadian AI tools, procurement policy updates, and international competitiveness—topics all addressed in the new plan, which promises $2 billion for domestic AI infrastructure, jobs, and digital sovereignty measures expected to reshape government adoption and regulatory requirements across tech sectors.

📎 Minister Solomon highlights Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy · Canada’s $2B AI Strategy: 250K Jobs, Sovereign AI [2026] · Canada unveils national AI strategy: Key commitments, regulatory gaps, and what’s missing

Rail Industry Lobbying Surges With Major Hitachi Investment and Innovation Focus

Extraordinary lobbying activity by railroad rolling stock manufacturers in May is occurring alongside Hitachi Rail's C$130 million expansion in Toronto, its signal technology R&D investments, and heightened federal focus on cyber resilience in transport. The timing lines up with publicized procurement, intellectual property, and telecom policy conversations, reflecting the industry’s response to both massive private investment and government efforts to position Canada as a global hub for next-generation, AI-integrated rail systems.

📎 Hitachi Rail Invests C$30 Million in New Canadian Headquarters · Hitachi Rail $100M CBTC Technology Expansion · 2026 Rail Innovation Strategy Conference | CUTRIC

Veteran and Security Service Lobbying Tied to Employment, Procurement Strategy

Security and investigation services saw a notable spike in activity, with organizations advocating for expanded procurement vehicles and support under new federal initiatives for veteran employment and national security policies. Records confirm that security providers engaged on both government procurement frameworks and social mandates, coinciding with wider federal interest in secure digital infrastructure and increased cyber threat preparedness within public protection and employment policy.

📎 Veterans Employment Strategy Discussion - Official Records · Cyber resilience in rail and security sectors

Section A: 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 348 meetings in May 2026, up from a 12-month average of 238. The most active industry was Software, while Computing and IT services rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Computer and electronic product manufacturing logged 41 meetings, up from an average of 24, Software logged 113 meetings, up from an average of 68, Digital media and social networks logged 42 meetings, up from an average of 14, Computing and IT services logged 69 meetings, up from an average of 46, and Security and investigation services logged 24 meetings, up from an average of 8.

Telecommunications had 50 meetings, down from an average of 67.

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 2026-05

Software saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in May 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.

Digital media and social networks saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in May 2026.

↳ Digital media and social networks has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Digital media and social networks displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

Computer and electronic product manufacturing saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in May 2026.

↳ Computer and electronic product manufacturing displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

↳ Telecommunications has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

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

↳ 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 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 Facebook Canada Ltd., Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc., Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI, and Xplore Inc..

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

The busiest industry → institution corridors this month:

↳ Software → House of Commons: 31 meetings (avg 17, +82%).

↳ Digital media and social networks → House of Commons: 21 meetings (avg 5, +313%).

↳ Security and investigation services → House of Commons: 19 meetings (avg 4, +430%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Facebook Canada Ltd. → House of Commons: 15 meetings (avg 3, +445%).

↳ Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI → House of Commons: 14 meetings (avg 5, +167%).

↳ Canadian Corps of Commissionaires → House of Commons: 12 meetings (avg 2, +526%).

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

The busiest industry → subject corridors this month:

↳ Software → Science and Technology: 70 meetings (avg 34, +107%).

↳ Railroad rolling stock manufacturing → Intellectual Property: 70 meetings (avg 7, +855%).

↳ Railroad rolling stock manufacturing → Telecommunications: 70 meetings (avg 8, +833%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Hitachi Rail GTS Canada Inc. → Telecommunications: 70 meetings (avg 8, +833%).

↳ Hitachi Rail GTS Canada Inc. → Intellectual Property: 70 meetings (avg 7, +855%).

↳ Canadian Centre for Child Protection Inc. → Privacy and Access to Information: 33 meetings (avg 5, +571%).

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

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by sector) this month were Security and investigation services → Roble Osoble (House of Commons), Telecommunications → Chris Padfield (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)) and Computing and IT services → Talal Dakalbab (Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Ontario Child Sexual Exploitation Investigators Association (OCSEIA) → Roble Osoble (House of Commons), BorderPass → Juan Sarmiento (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)) and TELESAT CANADA → Matt Hall (Prime Minister's Office (PMO)).