Lobbying on ICT & Cybersecurity - Ottawa (May 2026 edition)
Internet Service Provider Coalition, Snap Inc., Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc., Acosys Consulting Services, and Google Canada Corporation were unusually active lobbyists last month.
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 292 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 216.1.
- The biggest moves were in Software and Security and investigation services.
- Internet Service Provider Coalition, Snap Inc. were more active than usual.
Section A: The Themes Hidden in April 2026 Data
Government’s Major AI Subsidy Spurs Industry Advocacy
The federal government’s announcement of $66 million in AI Compute Access Fund subsidies for 44 companies in May 2026 coincides with a marked uptick in lobbying by software, cloud, and AI industry players such as Google Canada Corporation and Bell Canada. These efforts, often directed toward Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the Privy Council Office (PCO), have focused on shaping continued investment and access policies, particularly for domestic AI innovation and infrastructure, amidst concerns about rising compute costs for startups and SMEs.
CRTC Finalizes Wholesale Fibre Rates Amid Telecom Lobbying Surge
The CRTC’s finalization of wholesale fibre-to-the-premises rates in late April arrives in the wake of intensive lobbying from telecommunications firms such as TekSavvy Solutions Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc., with meetings involving the House of Commons and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). This alignment points to strong sectoral advocacy on regulatory frameworks for wholesale access, competition, and infrastructure expansion, which together impact affordability and choices for millions of households.
Privacy and AI Regulation Lags as Debate Continues Post-Bill C-27
Following the demise of Bill C-27 after Parliament's prorogation in early 2025, conversations around privacy reform and AI regulation remain highly active in the policy sphere, with Apple Canada Inc, Google Canada Corporation, and Cohere engaging with the House of Commons and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. This ongoing debate coincides with persistent lobbying from software and IT companies seeking updates to privacy, copyright, and data protection frameworks as digital transformation speeds ahead.
📎 What Bill C-34 Means for Canadian Digital Providers
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 292 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 216. 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 16 meetings, up from an average of 10, Software logged 92 meetings, up from an average of 60, Digital media and social networks logged 23 meetings, up from an average of 11, Computing and IT services logged 53 meetings, up from an average of 42, and Security and investigation services logged 19 meetings, up from an average of 6.
Computer and electronic product manufacturing had 11 meetings, down from an average of 22.
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
Software saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in April 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.
Telecommunications saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in April 2026.
↳ 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.
↳ Security and investigation services has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.
↳ Security and investigation services displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.
↳ 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.
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 Internet Service Provider Coalition, Snap Inc., Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc., Acosys Consulting Services, and Google Canada Corporation.
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:
↳ Telecommunications → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 30 meetings (avg 19, +55%).
↳ Software → House of Commons: 24 meetings (avg 15, +65%).
The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:
↳ Internet Service Provider Coalition → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 9 meetings (avg 1, +800%).
↳ Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. → House of Commons: 7 meetings (avg 3, +127%).
↳ Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI → House of Commons: 7 meetings (avg 4, +71%).
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 → Science and Technology: 49 meetings (avg 29, +67%).
↳ Software → Industry: 39 meetings (avg 20, +93%).
The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:
↳ TELESAT CANADA → Infrastructure: 15 meetings (avg 12, +22%).
↳ TELESAT CANADA → International Relations: 15 meetings (avg 12, +23%).
↳ TELESAT CANADA → Defence: 15 meetings (avg 12, +22%).
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 → Joelle Montminy (Canadian Heritage (PCH)), Telecommunications → Tim Logan (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)) and Software → Anson Duran (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).
Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Cohere → Anson Duran (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)), Cohere → Peter Wall (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)) and Internet Service Provider Coalition → Manuel Tomic (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).
