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 70 meetings in August 2026, down from a 12-month average of 171.5.
• The biggest moves were in Oil and gas extraction and Pipelines and lng.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in August 2026 Data

Regulatory Overhaul Shifts Pipeline Project Reviews

In September 2026, the federal government transferred the review of pipelines and oil and gas facilities from the Impact Assessment Agency to the Canada Energy Regulator. This streamlining comes amid recent industry lobbying by TransCanada PipeLines Limited with Natural Resources Canada and the Privy Council Office, as well as Enbridge Inc. with Natural Resources Canada, emphasizing greater regulatory efficiency and coincides with a notable reduction in direct lobbying meetings as organizations adapt to the new process.

📎 Carney government drops pipelines, oil and gas projects from Impact ...

Canada Implements Stringent Methane Regulations

Canada’s oil and gas sector, with organisations such as Enbridge Inc., Canadian Natural Resources Limited, and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers in recent discussions with Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Privy Council Office, is adapting to sweeping methane regulations that require facilities to sharply cut emissions and end routine venting. This shift coincides with an uptick in lobbying focused on methane rule compliance and greenhouse gas standards, reflecting industry concern over both regulatory demands and export competitiveness.

📎 Three things to know about Canada’s new oil and gas rules · Canada Unveils New Rules Lower Oil Gas Methane Emissions 2026 – The ...

Pipeline and CCUS Pact Signals Policy Pivot

A major federal-provincial agreement in June 2026 paired support for a new West Coast pipeline, an initiative actively discussed by Pembina Pipeline Corporation with Finance Canada and Natural Resources Canada, with substantial carbon capture investment, including input from Oil Sands Alliance and the Privy Council Office on CCUS projects. This dual-track approach coincides with lobbying pressures from Enhance Energy Inc and ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp. for faster project approval and tax incentives for decarbonization, as governments navigate the transition between resource development and climate action.

📎 Canada striking 'right balance' on oil and gas expansion and clean ...

Global Methane Standards Reshape Export Strategies

Growing international standards for low-methane oil and LNG imports are influencing Canadian export policy discussions, as recent industry lobbying by Enbridge Inc. and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) regarding access to new markets and adapting to evolving regulations coincides with mounting trade pressures and scrutiny of Alberta’s emissions profile.

📎 Methane reductions are critical to ensuring Canada’s oil and gas is ...

Surge in LNG Lobbying Follows Federal Attention

Lobbying targeting Western LNG ULC and ConocoPhillips Canada Resources Corp. has intensified, with a marked increase in meetings involving the Privy Council Office and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. This spike coincides with federal announcements streamlining approvals and greater emphasis on LNG project facilitation as market dynamics shift.

📎 Oil and Gas - The Globe and Mail

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 70 meetings in August 2026, down from a 12-month average of 172. The most active industry was Oil and gas extraction, while Pipelines and lng fell below its recent baseline.

On the quieter side, Oil and gas extraction had 39 meetings, down from an average of 105, Oil, gas and mining support services had 2 meetings, down from an average of 9, Petroleum refining had 2 meetings, down from an average of 8, Petroleum products distribution and retail had 2 meetings, down from an average of 3, and Pipelines and lng had 25 meetings, down from an average of 46.

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 2026-08

↳ Oil and gas extraction has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Oil, gas and mining support services displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

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

↳ Pipelines and lng has been trending downward in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Pipelines and lng 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.

On the quieter side, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Enbridge Inc., Cenovus Energy Inc., Shell Canada Limited, and Pembina Pipeline Corporation all pulled back from their 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 → Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): 12 meetings (avg 36, -66%).

↳ Oil and gas extraction → Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC): 9 meetings (avg 13, -31%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Western LNG ULC → Privy Council Office (PCO): 5 meetings (avg 1, +275%).

↳ Western LNG ULC → Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC): 4 meetings (avg 0, +860%).

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 → Energy: 36 meetings (avg 91, -61%).

↳ Oil and gas extraction → Environment: 31 meetings (avg 69, -55%).

↳ Pipelines and lng → Energy: 23 meetings (avg 40, -43%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Enhance Energy Inc → Energy: 7 meetings (avg 4, +100%).

↳ Enhance Energy Inc → Environment: 7 meetings (avg 4, +100%).

↳ Enhance Energy Inc → Natural Resources: 7 meetings (avg 4, +100%).

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 Pipelines and lng → Mark Saar (Privy Council Office (PCO)), Pipelines and lng → Jason Kearns (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)) and Pipelines and lng → dawn farrell (Privy Council Office (PCO)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were Western LNG ULC → Mark Saar (Privy Council Office (PCO)), Western LNG ULC → dawn farrell (Privy Council Office (PCO)) and Western LNG ULC → Pranav Shah (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)).