Caledon Council implements lobbyist registry

Lobbyist registrar will be appointed to provide transparency about

individuals, organizations who lobby public office holders

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Lobbying in the Town of Caledon will now be more transparent. 

At Caledon Council's February 25 meeting, Councillors unanimously supported a bylaw that establishes a lobbyist registry for the Town.

Ward 3 Councillor Doug Maskell said he wanted to thank Town staff and members of Caledon's Governance Review Committee for their work in setting up the lobbyist registry. 

“I think this is a significant moment in Caledon… I think we're the 16th municipality across the Province to adopt one of these, I think it's great practice,” said Maskell. “There's a lot of talk about openness and transparency and I think this is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate that as a council going forward.”

Once implemented, Caledon's lobbyist registry will be available for viewing online.

A lobbyist registrar will be appointed to oversee and maintain the lobbyist registry; according to the bylaw implemented, Caledon's Town Clerk will be appointed as the registrar unless someone else is appointed.

In Caledon's lobbyist registry bylaw, there are three types of lobbyists: consultant lobbyists, individuals who lobby for payment on behalf of a client; in-house lobbyists, individuals who are employees, partners or sole proprietors and lobby on behalf of their own employer, business or other entity; and voluntary unpaid lobbyists, individuals who lobby without payment on behalf of an individual, business or any other for-profit entity for the benefit of the interests of the individual, business or for-profit entity.

In the bylaw, lobbying is defined as follows: “any communication with a public office holder not otherwise exempted under Part 5 of this By-law by an individual who represents a business or financial interest with the goal of trying to influence any legislative action including development, introduction, passage, defeat, amendment or repeal of a bylaw, motion, resolution, or the outcome of a decision on any matter before Council, a Committee of Council, or a staff member acting under delegated authority.”

Caledon's new lobbyist registry bylaw is known officially as By-law No. 2025-010 and can be found in its entirety on the Town of Caledon's website, caledon.ca.