Burlington Council Unanimously Approves Implementing a Lobbyist Registry

At our meeting on May 18, Burlington Council unanimously approved implementing a voluntary lobbyist registry, applicable to all of council, that will go online in September 2021.This is a new registry, applicable to all of council, and will have a formal definition of what constitutes lobbying.Under the new lobbyist registry, the types of meetings that would have to be recorded are as follows:

“A decision or matter that is going to Council, or that intends to advance the business of the City, or a matter to which the participant may receive any form of remuneration or benefit.”

Council was presented with four options to implement a lobbyist registry, as per the staff report (click link below under resources). A snapshot of those options is below.

One of the options was to modify and adapt the existing business meeting registry that was set up by the Ward 2 Councillor and is only being used by her office. We chose this option to get up and running on a council-wide lobbyist registry as soon as possible and for minimal initial cost. We also added a formal definition of what lobbying is and who would have to register.Council also approved conducting additional community consultation on lobbying to review the definition, who it should apply to (for example should city staff be included), and whether it should be mandatory, which would require additional staffing resources. Staff will report back in 2023 for additional decision-making by council.The existing business meeting registry is not the same thing as the new lobbyist registry that we unanimously approved, but it did provide a starting point for further action on public recording of meetings with council members. I thank the Ward 2 Councillor for getting the ball rolling in her office, and bringing forward the initial motion to ask staff to  report back on options for a more formal, council-wide lobbyist registry.The existing business meeting registry technology/online form will be adapted to become a council-wide lobbyist registry with a formal definition of what lobbying is. That form is expected to be active by September 2021. Once live, residents will be able to visit one page on the city website and search all meetings of all members of council.Recap -- What will be new:

• The new registry will be used by all of council
• It will be called a lobbyist registry (not a business meeting registry)
• It will use the definition of lobbying used by municipalities around us which is broader than business meetings, and includes any individual or group seeking to influence council decisions, or who stands to receive remuneration or benefit.
• There will be one area online where a resident can search all of the meetings held by any councillor that meet the definition of lobbyist. That form is expected to be online by September 2021.
• Additional consultation will occur on the registry, who it applies to, definitions, and required staffing resources, with a report back in 2023 with additional recommendations for a more formal mandatory lobbyist registry.

Resources:

• Minutes from the May 18 Council meeting and watch a recording of the discussion
• Minutes from the May 5 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability (CSSRA) Committee meeting and watch a recording of the discussion:
  • Staff report: CL-15-21 Lobbyist Registry
  • Appendices:
    • CL-15-21 Appendix A Summary of Existing Lobbyist Regulations
    • CL-15-21 Appendix B Ottawa's Am I A Lobbyist Flow Chart

MY TAKE:We know what problem we're trying to solve -- ensuring lobbyist interactions with Council are transparent to the public. We also endorsed an appropriate definition of lobbying that covers anyone seeking to influence council decision or who benefits financially. This includes individuals, businesses and community groups. The registry will provide an opportunity for the public to see who council is meeting with.I also support expanding this to senior city staff.The planned public consultation will provide an opportunity for further discussions on who the registry should apply to, any refinements to the definition of lobbying, and whether it should be mandatory. Instead of waiting to implement a registry until that additional consultation is complete, we chose to get started with something immediately. I look forward to community feedback when consultation gets under way, and learning from the experiences of using the new lobbyist registry form in the meantime.