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 274 meetings in September 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 262.1.
• The biggest moves were in Computer and electronic product manufacturing and Digital media and social networks.
• Alibaba Group Holding Limited, Entertainment Software Association of Canada were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in September 2026 Data

National AI Strategy Launch Spurs Lobbying Surge

The release of 'AI for All,' Canada's renewed National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, in June 2026 closely coincided with an uptick in lobbying by software, telecom, and digital media sectors. TELUS Corporation and Nakisa Inc. engaged with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), respectively, reflecting the strategy’s ambitious pillars on regulation, procurement, and infrastructure investment. Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. and Cohere also sought sustained advocacy as ICT actors seek influence over the framework guiding federal priorities and spending into 2030.

📎 Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All

Formation of AI Council Intensifies Industry Engagement

The October 2026 appointment of the National Council on Artificial Intelligence, featuring academic and industry leaders, comes amid marked lobbying from TELUS Corporation with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Amazon Web Services Canada, Inc. with ISED, and AltaML with the National Research Council (NRC), all seeking to shape government direction on AI safety, national infrastructure, and regulatory harmonization. The closely timed creation of this advisory body is likely accelerating ICT sector efforts to secure a voice in policy and procurement processes.

📎 Feds reveal 6 pillars for long-touted, repeatedly delayed national AI ... · Federal government launches new national AI council | BetaKit

Public Consultation on AI Transparency Drives Advocacy

A federal consultation on AI accountability and transparency between July and September 2026 coincided with increased lobbying from TELUS Corporation at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), as well as from the Entertainment Software Association of Canada at House of Commons and Public Safety Canada (PS). The open policy window appears to have prompted targeted engagements by organizations including BorderPass with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and CommunityLogiq Software Inc. at Public Safety Canada (PS), aiming to shape impending regulations around AI transparency and digital content authentication.

📎 Have your say on advancing AI transparency in Canada

Canadian Digital Service Plan Parallels Digital Tools Lobbying

The 2026–2027 Tactical Plan from the Canadian Digital Service, emphasizing digital sovereignty and AI integration, coincides with advocacy efforts from stakeholders in software and telecom, including TELUS Corporation engaging with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Open Text Corporation with Public Services and Procurement Canada. These groups appear motivated to influence public sector adoption of AI and digital services, aligning their lobbying—such as Nakisa Inc. with Public Services and Procurement Canada and Code for Canada with Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency—with government modernization and procurement initiatives outlined in the CDS plan.

📎 Tactical Plan / Canadian Digital Service 2026-2027

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 274 meetings in September 2026, roughly in line with its 12-month average of 262. The most active industry was Software, while Telecommunications rose above its recent baseline.

Digital media and social networks logged 22 meetings, up from an average of 18.

On the quieter side, Computer and electronic product manufacturing had 21 meetings, down from an average of 30, and Security and investigation services had 7 meetings, down from an average of 11.

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 2026-09

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

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

↳ 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.

↳ Computing and IT services has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Computing and IT services 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.

↳ Broadcast media production and distribution 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited, Entertainment Software Association of Canada, TELUS Corporation, and LinkedIn Technology Canada Inc.

On the quieter side, Secure Future Research Ltd DBA ControlAI 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:

↳ Telecommunications → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 28 meetings (avg 17, +67%).

↳ Software → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 18 meetings (avg 14, +33%).

↳ Computer and electronic product manufacturing → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 16 meetings (avg 13, +22%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ TELUS Corporation → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 8 meetings (avg 3, +153%).

↳ Bell Canada → Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED): 8 meetings (avg 2, +231%).

↳ Entertainment Software Association of Canada → Canadian Heritage (PCH): 6 meetings (avg 1, +500%).

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 → Industry: 38 meetings (avg 25, +52%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ TransAlta Corporation → Telecommunications: 14 meetings (avg 2, +500%).

↳ TransAlta Corporation → Intellectual Property: 14 meetings (avg 2, +500%).

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 → Tim Logan (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)), Computer and electronic product manufacturing → Anushka Kurian (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)) and Telecommunications → Chris Padfield (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Bell Canada → Scott Jones (Shared Services Canada (SSC)), Bell Canada → Mark Schaan (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)) and TELUS Corporation → Tim Logan (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)).