City of Winnipeg's voluntary lobbyist registry sees declining enrolment since launch

Fewer people are adding their names to the City of Winnipeg's lobbyist registry, a tool created to increase transparency around who is trying to influence decision-makers at city hall.

The city launched its lobbyist registry in 2017 to track who is meeting with council members and staff, but council lacked the power to make registration mandatory for lobbyists.

Integrity commissioner Sherri Walsh, in her annual report to the governance committee on Thursday, said there's a decline in the number of people choosing to register.

"Lobbying is an important and legitimate aspect of public life," but "lobbying activity must not be associated with secrecy and undue influence," she wrote in her report.

The registry shows there were 16 entries in 2017, the year it was launched.

That rose to 26 the next year, the registry shows, but since then, the number has fallen sharply. It indicates just five registrations in each of the past two years.

The registry includes people representing business and financial interests — ride-hailing and short-term rental companies, for example.

It also includes advocacy groups with paid staff, like Bike Winnipeg. 

"I always encourage council members and members of the public service to remind individuals with whom they're meeting outside of a public process to register," Walsh said.

"It's not a bad thing, and that kind of transparency is very much to be promoted."

Registry should be mandatory: Wyatt

When council approved the registry, several councillors criticized the plan as toothless and put together without consultation.

Then mayor Brian Bowman pushed to create the registry to capture communications between anyone who meets with the mayor, a city councillor or a public servant, outside of a public event or normal process, for some form of benefit for themselves, their employer or another business or non-profit organization with paid staff.

Government officials are exempt from the registry, along with anybody speaking at a public meeting, requesting information, offering complaints or compliments, or communicating with an official as part of a regular process such as filling out a permit application.

Lobbyists submit their names, contact information, the subject and intended outcome of their meeting. 

Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt voted in favour of the registry, despite being among its council critics. He also registered his name on the registry when he acted as a lobbyist during his years off council, from 2018 to 2022.

In an interview, Wyatt reiterated his concern that not making the registry mandatory limits its effectiveness.

"I think the drop in registration speaks to the need to make it mandatory," Wyatt said.

"The time for the voluntary lobbyist registry is over. The time for the mandatory lobbyist registry … has arrived, and I think it would be greater for transparency and openness in terms of our local democracy here."

Mayor Scott Gillingham told reporters on Friday the governance committee will look into the issue.

"Whenever you make something mandatory, you've got to put … the tools in place to then kind of police it and enforce it," he said.

To make the registry mandatory, the city would have to ask the provincial government to change legislation, granting it the power to enforce the lobbyist registry.

Lobbyist registrations at Winnipeg city hall decrease since 2017 launch

2 days ago

Duration 1:35

The City of Winnipeg launched its lobbyist registry to track who is meeting with council members and staff. But lately, it seems fewer people are choosing to register.