Compliance & Penalties


Investigations

The Integrity Commissioner, as Ontario’s Lobbyist Registrar, has the power to investigate potential non-compliance with the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998. Individuals who have information about potential non-compliance with the Act can complete the form below.

The Act prohibits the Commissioner from releasing any information about ongoing investigations. Statistics and information about concluded investigations can be found in the Office's annual reports.

Penalties

If the Commissioner reaches a finding of non-compliance with the Act, the Commissioner may impose a penalty by making public the name of the lobbyist, a description of the non-compliance and any other information that the Commissioner considers necessary. The Commissioner may also prohibit a person found to be in non-compliance from lobbying for up to two years.
 

Prohibition

No person is prohibited from lobbying at this time.
 

Published Non-compliance

2022-2023

Craig Hughson, Consultant Lobbyist

Craig Hughson, a consultant lobbyist, was found to have failed to file a registration after arranging a meeting for a client with a public office holder. Mr. Hughson's failure to register undermines the Lobbyist Registration Act’s goal of transparency. The Lobbyist Registrar directed that the consultant lobbyist’s name be published with a brief description of the non-compliance.


Published penalty summaries issued in past years are available upon request by sending an email to info@oico.on.ca.