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
2024-2025
Katarzyna Sliwa, Consultant Lobbyist
In 2022, Katarzyna Sliwa failed to comply with the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998 by failing to file registrations after sending two letters to a public office holder. One letter requested the amendment of the regulation then establishing the Greenbelt Area boundaries on behalf of one client, and the other requested three specific amendments to a Government of Ontario policy, specifically the Greenbelt Plan, on behalf of two clients.
By the time the investigation started, she was 398 days late to register her lobbying activity for the first client and 377 days late to register her activity for the second client.
Ms. Sliwa’s failure to register undermines the Act’s purpose of transparency. The Lobbyist Registrar directed that her name be published with a brief description of the 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.