Whereas the BC Lobbyists Registration Act LRA requires individuals and organizations who lobby public office holders and meet specific criteria to register their lobbying activities in an online public registry; And whereas the goal of the BC Lobbyists Registration Act is to promote transparency in lobbying and government decision-making: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that a lobbying regulation system for municipal government, similar to the provincial mechanism under the BC Lobbyists Registration Act, be established.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing The Government of BC is willing to discuss initiatives, like a municipal lobbyist registry, which will increase local government accountability and promote openness and transparency in interactions between public servants, elected officials and lobbyists. Provincial and local governments across the country have approached the creation of municipal lobbyist registries in a variety of ways, including: voluntary registries, registries administered at the local level and those administered at the provincial level. In moving forward, the Province will need a clearer understanding of what local governments hope to achieve through a municipal lobbyist registry to ensure that an approach is taken that meets those intended outcomes and meets the needs of any local government interested in having a lobbyist registry.