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 — Oil & Gas

• Lobbying activity totalled 179 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 161.2.
• The biggest moves were in Oil and gas extraction and Petroleum refining.
• Enhance Energy Inc, TransCanada PipeLines Limited were more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in April 2026 Data

Federal Government Suspends Fuel Excise Tax

The government's temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax from April 20 through September 7, 2026, represents over $2.4 billion in relief, coinciding with an uptick in lobbying from organizations such as the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and Enhance Energy Inc for pricing adjustments and regulatory mechanisms in their meetings with the House of Commons and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). This measure, intended to alleviate impacts from global oil disruptions, aligns with significant lobbying by oil extraction and refining sectors, including Shell Canada Limited, seeking policy responses to volatile fuel prices.

📎 Carney paused the gas tax to help Canadians. Some say it helps the ...

CCUS Tax Credit Expansion Aligns With Industry Advocacy

The Spring Economic Update expanded the CCUS tax credit to include enhanced oil recovery, reflecting direct lobbying efforts by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers with Finance Canada and the House of Commons, as well as Enhance Energy Inc with Environment and Climate Change Canada, for broader tax support and grants for carbon capture in the oil and gas sector. Industry momentum for competitive investment incentives intensified around these subsidies, mirroring a surge in meetings—especially by Enhance Energy Inc and others advocating for decarbonization infrastructure.

📎 Carney government issues new oil and gas subsidies in spring mini ... · Canada Formalizes CCUS Tax Credit for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A ...

Canada Strong Fund Investment Coincides With LNG Lobbying

The launch of the $25-billion Canada Strong Fund in late April aims to accelerate energy infrastructure and LNG projects, coming amid a spike in lobbying for competitive fiscal frameworks and infrastructure support by stakeholders such as Shell Canada Limited, ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp., Pembina Pipeline Corporation, and TransCanada PipeLines Limited with the House of Commons and Privy Council Office. This sizable investment vehicle is closely related to recent lobbying requests for market access and expanded project funding by Cenovus Energy Inc. and Canadian Energy Infrastructure Corp.

📎 Canada launches $25-billion fund to back oil, gas and LNG ...

Spring Update Measures Codify Industry-Favored Fiscal Changes

Bill C-30, enshrining fiscal provisions from the Spring Economic Update, received Royal Assent and includes expanded capital cost allowances and targeted tax changes for LNG and oil and gas projects. These formalized measures arrived alongside heightened lobbying for business competitiveness and regulatory certainty, with notable activity from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and Shell Canada Limited, who engaged with Finance Canada and the House of Commons, among other government interlocutors, as they sought to shape fiscal and project review policies.

📎 New fund, fiscal measures for oil and gas: spring update essentials for ...

Policy Debate on Energy Security Tracks Increased Lobbying

Federal policy debates around energy security and market diversification, including LNG Canada Phase 2 and major resource projects, intensified alongside repeated lobbying by Enbridge Inc., the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, and Cenovus Energy Inc. for energy trade and export market expansion in discussions with Natural Resources Canada and the House of Commons. These themes correspond with broader patterns of industry engagement seeking government support for market access and strategic diversification.

📎 Six Changes Governing Climate Policy in Canada – See Them Here

Oil Price Volatility Sharpens Industry Lobbying Amid Inflation Concerns

Global oil price volatility linked to conflict in the Middle East and U.S. trade uncertainties pushed Canadian inflation higher and heightened policymaker focus on energy security. This environment coincided with increased oil and gas extraction lobbying, as organisations such as the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and Tourmaline Oil Corp. pressed for responsive fiscal and regulatory measures in meetings with Global Affairs Canada and the House of Commons amid these macroeconomic shifts.

📎 Monetary Policy Report—April 2026 - Bank of Canada

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 179 meetings in April 2026, up from a 12-month average of 161. The most active industry was Oil and gas extraction, while Pipelines and lng rose above its recent baseline.

The industries with the most notable increases in lobbying this month include Oil and gas extraction logged 120 meetings, up from an average of 99, and Petroleum refining logged 14 meetings, up from an average of 5.

Oil, gas and mining support services had 4 meetings, down from an average of 13.

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

Oil and gas extraction saw lobbying run notably above expected levels in April 2026.

↳ Oil and gas extraction has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Pipelines and lng has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Pipelines and lng displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

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

↳ Oil, gas and mining support services has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Oil, gas and mining support 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 Enhance Energy Inc, TransCanada PipeLines Limited, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, and Irving Oil Limited.

On the quieter side, Pembina Pipeline 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:

↳ Oil and gas extraction → House of Commons: 25 meetings (avg 20, +22%).

↳ Oil and gas extraction → Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): 23 meetings (avg 33, -29%).

↳ Oil and gas extraction → Privy Council Office (PCO): 18 meetings (avg 11, +60%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers → House of Commons: 10 meetings (avg 5, +90%).

↳ TransCanada PipeLines Limited → House of Commons: 6 meetings (avg 1, +324%).

↳ Enhance Energy Inc → Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC): 6 meetings (avg 1, +800%).

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:

↳ Oil and gas extraction → Natural Resources: 49 meetings (avg 32, +55%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers → Energy: 19 meetings (avg 13, +48%).

↳ Enhance Energy Inc → Natural Resources: 17 meetings (avg 3, +558%).

↳ Enhance Energy Inc → Energy: 17 meetings (avg 3, +558%).

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 Oil and gas extraction → Erin O'Brien (Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)), Oil and gas extraction → Kody Blois (House of Commons) and Pipelines and lng → Martin Kolacz (Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Shell Canada Limited → Jean-François Fortin (Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)), Pathways Alliance Inc. → Kelsen Vallee (Privy Council Office (PCO)) and Enbridge Inc. → Martin Kolacz (Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)).