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 — Social Issues

• Lobbying activity totalled 189 meetings in September 2026, down from a 12-month average of 280.2.
• The biggest moves were in Labour organizations and Charitable organizations.
• Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East was more active than usual.

Section A: The Themes Hidden in September 2026 Data

Fossil Fuel Subsidy Phase-Out Gains Momentum

Advocacy to eliminate public subsidies for fossil fuel production intensified in September, coinciding with the federal government's ongoing review of subsidy guidelines, as organizations such as the Office Of Religious Congregations For Integral Ecology and the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada engaged in discussions with the House of Commons and Finance Canada (FIN) respectively. Calls from Indigenous and environmental groups, echoed in part by these advocates, have pushed Parliament to reject new fossil fuel supports in Budget 2026 and prioritize clean energy investment, reflecting direct alignment between lobbying activity and upcoming government decisions. Recent media coverage confirms continued pressure on loopholes in Canada’s subsidy policy.

📎 Environmental Defence Media Advisory, Oct 27, 2026 · CBC News, July 24, 2026

Lobbying Drives Copyright Debate in AI Era

Creators’ organizations, including the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) | Quebec District Council, are increasing their efforts to secure legal protections for screenwriters and directors amid mounting uncertainty over copyright and generative AI. This coincides with government consultations, such as those involving Canadian Heritage (PCH) and the House of Commons, and media attention in October highlighting unresolved questions about AI authorship and federal limitations on the registration of AI-generated works. Stakeholder lobbying appears closely tied to these ongoing legal and regulatory gaps.

📎 Global News, Oct 22, 2026 · ISED Consultation Report, 2025-26 · Recording Law summary, October 26, 2026

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 189 meetings in September 2026, down from a 12-month average of 280. The most active industry was Charitable organizations, while Labour organizations fell below its recent baseline.

Human rights organizations logged 37 meetings, up from an average of 26.

On the quieter side, Religious organizations had 26 meetings, down from an average of 47, Community and social organizations had 4 meetings, down from an average of 10, Labour organizations had 53 meetings, down from an average of 101, and Charitable organizations had 69 meetings, down from an average of 95.

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

↳ Human rights organizations has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

↳ Human rights organizations displayed high volatility, suggesting irregular or event-driven engagement.

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

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

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

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

↳ Community and social organizations has been on a broadly upward trajectory in lobbying over the past year.

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

↳ Labour organizations 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 organization with the most notable increase in lobbying this month was Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.

On the quieter side, Canadian Labour Congress, Unifor, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and The Professional Institute for the Public Service of Canada 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:

↳ Charitable organizations → House of Commons: 28 meetings (avg 36, -22%).

↳ Human rights organizations → House of Commons: 20 meetings (avg 11, +80%).

↳ Labour organizations → House of Commons: 20 meetings (avg 56, -64%).

The busiest organization → institution corridors this month:

↳ Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East → House of Commons: 14 meetings (avg 6, +140%).

↳ Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards Inc. → House of Commons: 8 meetings (avg 3, +153%).

↳ National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) → House of Commons: 8 meetings (avg 14, -43%).

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:

↳ Banking → Consumer Issues: 75 meetings (avg 25, +198%).

↳ Motor vehicle manufacturing → Labour: 29 meetings (avg 15, +98%).

The busiest organization → subject corridors this month:

↳ Canadian Bankers Association → Consumer Issues: 27 meetings (avg 14, +93%).

↳ TransAlta Corporation → Labour: 15 meetings (avg 3, +445%).

↳ Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East → Foreign Affairs: 15 meetings (avg 6, +169%).

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 Labour organizations → Andrew Donelle (Finance Canada (FIN)), Charitable organizations → Thomas Simpson (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)) and Charitable organizations → Amber Lindstedt (Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)).

Among the individuals with the most notable meeting activity (by organization) this month were The Pew Charitable Trusts → Amber Lindstedt (Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)), Indwell → Thomas Simpson (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC)) and Canadian Council for Refugees → Sarah Geddes (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)).