2023–24 Departmental plan

Table of contents

• Message from the Commissioner of Lobbying
• Plans at a glance
• Core responsibility: planned results, planned resources and key risks
• Internal services: planned results
• Planned spending and human resources
• Additional information
• Appendix: definitions

---

Message from the Commissioner of Lobbying

I am pleased to present the 2023-24 departmental plan
for the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada.

The 2023-24 fiscal year will mark an important milestone for our organization. In addition to the continued improvement of the Registry of Lobbyists and our ongoing compliance work to enhance respect for federal lobbying requirements, it is expected that 2023-24 will bring the implementation of the third edition of the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct.

The updated Code is designed with easy to understand rules that work to achieve transparent and ethical lobbying while contributing to public confidence in federal officials and government institutions.

When the updated Code is finalized and published in the Canada Gazette, we will offer educational materials and information sessions to support lobbyists in complying with the updated rules.

We also plan to update our interpretation materials so that lobbyists and other stakeholders have access to clear guidance on the application and enforcement of the Lobbying Act.

To support compliance, an enhanced focus on education will aim to reach audiences who may not be sufficiently aware of federal lobbying requirements. As always, we will provide timely and appropriate advice and registration support.

With less than two years remaining in my term as Commissioner – and as we approach the 35th anniversary of the federal lobbying regime – I will continue to identify legislative and regulatory changes that could enhance the transparency, fairness, clarity and efficiency of the federal lobbying regime. Building on preliminary recommendations I released in 2021, I expect to seek regulatory updates that enable the ease and effectiveness of lobbying registration.

All of our work is accomplished with a limited resourcing of 33 staff to support both our program and internal services. In 2022, we identified depth of capacity as the primary risk for our organization. To help mitigate this risk, I have submitted a budget proposal to the Government to add seven full-time positions to our organization to sustain our core responsibility and operations.

On a final note, as we begin 2023-24, I wish to thank my team of employees who always exemplify professionalism and commitment in their work to support transparent and ethical lobbying.

Nancy Bélanger
Commissioner of Lobbying

Plans at a glance

As in previous years, our plans for 2023-24 support openness and transparency in government.
Our work will further strengthen the regulation of transparent and ethical lobbying by:

• maintaining and enhancing the Registry of Lobbyists, the searchable source of registered lobbying activities and information reported in accordance with the Lobbying Act
• providing registration support and sharing appropriate advice with stakeholders
• ensuring stakeholders have access to clear guidance
• expanding awareness and understanding of the lobbying regime and compliance obligations through education
• verifying that registrants, lobbyists and former designated officials are compliant with federal lobbying requirements
• conducting investigations when necessary to ensure compliance with the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct

Our plans will be realized with an allocation of $5.52 million in planned spending and 33 full-time equivalents. 

Core responsibility: planned results, planned resources and key risks

Regulation of lobbying

Description

The federal lobbying regime sets requirements and standards for the transparent and ethical lobbying of federal officials. The Commissioner of Lobbying with the support of the Office administers the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct.

Our primary responsibilities include:

• maintaining and enhancing the Registry of Lobbyists
• expanding awareness and understanding of the lobbying regime and compliance obligations through education
• conducting compliance work that supports respect of federal lobbying requirements

Planning highlights

Our activities support the outcome of transparent and ethical lobbying.

A resource allocation of $4.14 million in planned spending and 26 full-time equivalents supports the work of our Registration, education and compliance program.

Registration

We maintain and continuously improve the Registry of Lobbyists – the searchable source of information about lobbying activities reported by registrants as required by the Lobbying Act. Through the online Registry, the public can learn about lobbying taking place at the federal level.

In 2023-24, registration will be enhanced by:

• making the Registry easier for registrants to use, by using more accessible text in the interface and to help guide data entry
• improving the Registry user experience based on user feedback received in 2022-23, with features such as additional reports and statistics
• continuing to offer registrants timely and appropriate registration support

Education

Awareness and understanding of the federal lobbying regime and compliance obligations are expanded by publishing educational material and providing information sessions.

Lobbyists, registrants, federal officials and other stakeholders are offered ongoing support and advice – including on how to use the Registry and how to comply with the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct.

In 2023-24, awareness and understanding of the federal lobbying regime will be expanded by:

• implementing the third edition of the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, supported by material to help lobbyists comply with the standards of behaviour they must follow
• ensuring stakeholders have access to clear guidance, with refined and refreshed interpretation on the application and enforcement of the Lobbying Act
• reaching stakeholders and other audiences who may not be sufficiently aware of obligations under the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, using approaches such as educational sessions, media engagement and resources on our website
• offering timely and appropriate advice to those who reach out to us
• continuously improving and developing our educational information, by leveraging registration data as well as questions and feedback from stakeholders

Compliance

We enhance respect for federal lobbying requirements through our compliance work, such as verifications to ensure that registrants file information correctly and on time.

Concerns about non compliance are addressed and we investigate when the Commissioner believes it is necessary to ensure compliance with the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct; if the Commissioner discovers reasonable grounds to believe an offence under the Lobbying Act has occurred, the matter is referred to the appropriate police authority. At the conclusion of an investigation, findings are reported to Parliament.

In 2023-24, compliance with federal lobbying requirements will by fostered by:

• conducting efficient and timely compliance work in an independent, fair and impartial manner, supported by rigorous, continuously improved practices
• addressing significant, recurring or emerging compliance issues, such as targeting late filings in the Registry
• reporting on completed investigations

Gender-based analysis plus

Since 2020-21, stakeholders providing feedback on our outreach services are being invited to provide GBA Plus information on an entirely voluntary basis. Once we obtain a sufficient volume of feedback, analysis of this data is expected to result in changes that improve the inclusiveness and accessibility of our services and information resources.

United Nations' 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the UN sustainable development goals

We are aligned with United Nations’ goal on peace, justice and strong institutions (Goal 16). We are committed to sharing our expertise in lobbying regulation with provincial and international counterparts to help foster effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Common goals of transparency and accountability in the principles of lobbying registration and compliance support the development of open standards that can strengthen democratic systems.

Innovation

As a micro-organization operating with a limited budget, we do not have the flexibility to devote a fixed percentage of program funds to rigorous innovation in program design and delivery. Despite this budgetary constraint, we are committed to small-scale, simple innovation when resources permit. Lessons learned will help us innovate and find new ways to improve program delivery.

In 2023-24, innovation we aim to undertake relates to our information resources and how we reach stakeholders.

Key risks

We are committed to transparency and take our organizational obligations seriously. With the ongoing evolution and growth of federal accountability measures – including important equity and sustainability frameworks that we are firmly committed to – our capacity becomes more strained to deliver both our mandate and the same organizational expectations and accountability reporting as departments many times our size.

Given our limited resourcing of 33 full-time equivalents to support both our program and internal services, we increasingly face capacity issues. Because we do not have the levels of financial resources or the depth of human resources that are comparable to those of other federal organizations, the continued allocation of program dedicated resources to manage and fulfill expanding expectations and accountability measures risks our ability to adequately fulfill our core responsibility.

In 2022, an update of our corporate risk profile identified depth of capacity as the primary risk for our organization. When we face unexpected events or absences, our lack of ability to reallocate resources given capacity constraints raises the risk of failure in key areas such as education, policy, and communications. Similar challenges may develop when we face an increase in the volume or complexity of compliance matters.

Considering the above, the Commissioner has submitted a budget proposal to the Government to add seven full-time equivalents to our organization to sustain delivery of our core responsibility.

Planned result (regulation of lobbying)

With respect to our core responsibility, the following table shows our planned results, result indicators, targets and target dates for 2023-24, and actual results for the three most recent fiscal years for which actual results are available.

* New result or indicator effective April 1, 2023.

** Indicator that became effective April 1, 2020.

^Δ Using existing data, the values in square brackets represent what the result would have been if the indicator had been effective before April 1, 2023. These illustrative values do not appear in GC InfoBase.

Planned budgetary spending (regulation of lobbying)

With respect to our core responsibility, the following table shows budgetary spending for 2023-24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned human resources (regulation of lobbying)

The following table shows, in full time equivalents, the human resources planned to fulfill our core responsibility for 2023-24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Financial, human resources and performance information related to our program inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

Internal services: planned results

Description

Internal services are those provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• acquisition management
• communications
• financial management
• human resources management
• information management
• information technology
• legal
• materiel management
• management and oversight
• real property management

Given our responsibilities under the Lobbying Act to maintain the Registry of Lobbyists, engage in education with stakeholders and verify that lobbyists are compliant with lobbying requirements, communications, information technology and legal services are integrated into our Registration, education and compliance program.

Planning highlights

Team and work environment

Our work environment enables excellence and delivers value to Canadians through collaboration, innovation and respect. We support our employees in being knowledgeable, skilled, engaged and productive.

In 2023-24, we will foster an exceptional work environment by:

• supporting the wellbeing of our employees, with particular attention to wellness and mental health initiatives
• encouraging diversity, equity and inclusion through training, awareness products and activities
• reducing and preventing barriers to the accessibility of our program, services and work environment
• supporting career development and employee retention through training, mentorship and job shadowing opportunities
• developing orientation resources for new employees

Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

The Government of Canada is committed to economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and will contribute to improve socio-economic outcomes by increasing opportunities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis businesses through the federal procurement process.

Our organization is identified as a phase 3 contributor to the Government’s commitment and target that a minimum of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses annually, in accordance with Appendix E to the Treasury Board Directive on the Management of Procurement.

To support meeting or exceeding the target no later than the end of 2024-25, we plan to do the following in 2023-24:

• integrate plans for meeting the target into our procurement framework
• update contracting protocols, resources, tools and forms to help us identify opportunities for Indigenous businesses
• ensure tracking, oversight and reporting measures are in place

Planned budgetary spending (internal services)

With respect to internal services, the following table shows budgetary spending for 2023-24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned human resources (internal services)

The following table shows, in full time equivalents, the human resources planned to carry out internal services for 2023-24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of our planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2023-24 with actual spending for the current year and the previous year.

Planned spending

Departmental spending 2020-21 to 2025-26

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory) spending over time.

Text equivalent: Departmental spending 2020-21 to 2025-26

	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26
Statutory	457,066	380,063	521,944	511,532	534,332	534,332
Voted	4,431,312	4,273,500	4,857,025	5,008,357	4,967,857	4,967,857
Total	4,888,378	4,653,563	5,378,969	5,519,889	5,502,189	5,502,189

In recent years, our spending levels have varied due to adjustments that include:

• retroactive collective agreement payments and Phoenix-related damages compensation in 2020 21
• allocation in Budget 2021 of additional funds of $556 thousand for 2021-22, but with lower actual spending because we could not complete all staffing of several new positions before the end of March 2022
• allocation in Budget 2021 of additional funds of $590 thousand for 2022-23 and future years, but with lower forecasted spending in year 2022-23 as we do not expect to the able to staff all vacant positions before the end of March 2023

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibility and internal services

The following table shows information on spending for our core responsibility and internal services for 2023-24 and other relevant fiscal years.

Relative to 2020 21, expenditures in 2021 22 decreased by $235 thousand. While authorities increased by $556 thousand in December 2021, we were not able complete staffing of all new positions by the end of the fiscal year. This resulted in lower actual expenditures than allowed by available authorities.

Also relative to actual expenditures in recent years, forecasted spending for 2022 23 and planned spending for 2023 24 onwards includes the additional funds of $590 thousand annually allocated in Budget 2021.

In 2023-24, planned spending is $165 thousand more than budgetary spending allocated in the Main Estimates, which reflects the maximum allowed carryforward (5%) of lapsed funds from 2022-23.

* Reflects amounts indicated in the Public Accounts for 2021-22. Following the audit of our 2021-22 financial statements, the Office of the Auditor General identified an $8 thousand adjustment related to Phoenix Damages that was not included in that year’s Public Accounts. As a result, total actual expenditures in 2021-22 were $4,661,563, as per the 2021 22 audited financial statements and 2021 22 departmental results report.

Planned human resources

The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for our core responsibility and internal services for 2023-24 and other relevant fiscal years.

Human resources planning summary for core responsibility and internal services

In 2020-21, we were resourced for 28 positions. Budget 2021 increased this to 33 positions and staffing processes were still underway in March 2022. By the end of 2021-22, our actual utilization was equivalent to 26 positions.

With recent labour market conditions and competition for specialized resources, staffing efforts continued to prove challenging in 2022-23. It is forecasted our actual utilization will be equivalent to 29 positions by the end of 2022-23.

As a micro-organization that is minimally resourced and that faces ongoing depth-of-capacity challenges, every departure and unfilled position has a real impact on our ability to fulfill our core responsibility and deliver on the wide range of organizational responsibilities that apply to all government departments, regardless of department size or resourcing.

Many people in our organization hold multiple responsibilities, and even at 33 positions the size of the organization does not allow for adequate depth or backup when we encounter rising workloads, new demands or unforeseen challenges. When staff are already working at full capacity, this has a direct effect on the wellbeing of the team and our ability to consistently deliver the results we aim to achieve.

For this reason, the Commissioner has made a budget proposal asking the Government to allocate $0.76 million in 2023-24 and $0.89 million ongoing so that we can add seven positions to our organization.
This additional resourcing would enable us to spread out the workload and deepen the capacity to fulfill our registration, education and compliance mandates, meet government accountability requirements, and cope with unexpected events and increases in workload.

Staffing and recruitment are a continuous top priority for management.

Estimates by vote

Information on our organizational appropriations is available in the 2023–24 Main Estimates.

Condensed future-oriented statement of operations

The condensed future-oriented statement of operations provides an overview of our operations for 2022 23 to 2023 24.

The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis and are based on our audited financial statements. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of this departmental plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on our website.

The difference of $144 thousand (2%) relates mainly to vacant positions during 2022-23. At the time when this report was prepared, we forecasted the 2022-23 lapse to be approximately $295 thousand.

In 2023-24, we expect a $405 thousand increase in personnel costs linked to the filling of all vacant positions and a $228 thousand decrease in operating expenditures. The remaining amount of approximately $32 thousand represents consolidated adjustments to other operating expenses.

Additional information

Organizational profile

Institutional head

Nancy Bélanger, Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada

Enabling instrument

Lobbying Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 44 (4th Supp.)

Year of commencement

2008

Ministerial portfolio

Treasury Board

Other

For administrative purposes, the President of the Treasury Board tables our departmental plans and departmental results reports in Parliament.

Raison d'être, mandate and role

The federal lobbying regime sets requirements and standards for the transparent and ethical lobbying of federal officials. The Commissioner of Lobbying with the support of the Office administers the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct.

Our primary responsibilities include:

• maintaining and enhancing the Registry of Lobbyists
• expanding awareness and understanding of the lobbying regime and compliance obligations through education
• conducting compliance work that supports respect of federal lobbying requirements

The Commissioner is independent from government and reports directly to Parliament.

More information about who we are and what we do is available on our website.

Operating context

Information on our operating context is available on our website.

Reporting framework

Changes to our reporting framework since 2022–23

We have updated our reporting framework with some minor adjustments to our results and indicators, and we have reworded the title of our existing program.

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related our program inventory is available in GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on our website:

• Gender-based analysis plus

Federal tax expenditures

This departmental plan does not include information on tax expenditures.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.

Organizational contact information

Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada
410 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 810
Ottawa ON K1R 1B7

Tel: 613-957-2760
Fax: 613-957-3078
Email: info@lobbycanada.gc.ca
Website: www.lobbycanada.gc.ca

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary spending (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (langresponsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

departmental plan (plan ministériel)

A document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.

departmental results report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its departmental plan for that year. Departmental results reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For departmental plans and departmental results reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.
A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their departmental plans and departmental results reports.

priority (priorité)

A plan or project that an organization has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.

result (résultat)

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.