Lobbyists Registration and Service Fees

Department of Industry
Department of Industry Act

This document was issued under the authority of the Minister of Industry. It is reproduced here in its entirety as it was published in the Canada Gazette Part I, December 16, 1995, pp.4241-4243.

Introduction

The amended Lobbyists Registration Act, which comes into force on January 31, 1996, requires lobbyists to register, electronically, by mail or in person, with the Registrar of the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists in a manner and format set out in the Act and Regulations. The Act also stipulates that the information on lobbyists will be stored and made available in appropriate paper and electronic formats.

To give lobbyists an efficient system for registering and to give the public broad access to the information on lobbyists, both electronic registration, as well as access to data through the Industry Canada superserver, are free of charge. This allows the cost-effective handling of the significantly increased information being required from lobbyists. Encouraging the use of electronic services is also in keeping with Industry Canada objectives, namely to encourage the fullest development and use of technology, and to promote Canadian communications facilities.

Maintaining full facilities to allow paper filing and paper reports on data in the Registry, in addition to the electronic services, would involve significant increased costs. In order to encourage filers and users of the data to use the electronic services, and so maintain staff and resource levels and reduce paper handling costs for all concerned, fees based on full cost are charged for paper services.

Consultations on the fee schedule were conducted with all registered lobbyists and others during the month of October. While a few of those consulted opposed fees altogether or favored a delay in their implementation, others agreed that electronic filing should be free. A few modifications of a technical nature have been made to the final schedule.

Fee Schedule

The Minister of Industry, pursuant to Sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Department of Industry Act, hereby fixes the following fees, effective January 31, 1996, applicable to users outside Government and Parliament, for the filing of returns, notices or other documents required by the Lobbyists Registration Act in the form and manner set out in the Lobbyists Registration Regulations, and for copies of documents, reports or other services performed by the Registrar pursuant to the duties of the Registrar set out in that Act.

The Registrar may waive fees where paper filing is required explicitly by the Registrar due to extraordinary circumstances.

General Notes

Payment must accompany any registration made in paper format. Reports cannot be made available until payment is received by the Registrar. Non-payment constitutes a debt owed the Crown.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) does not apply to the lobbyist registration process, nor to any service or product specified above, in accordance with the Excise Tax Act.

Fees will be reviewed when there are significant changes in the situation, e.g. when comparable costs charged by other entities change or technology changes in such a way as to affect costs.

John Manley
Minister of Industry