The Town of The Blue Mountains would like to advise members of the public that enforcement of penalties for undisclosed lobbying activities and non-compliance with the Town’s Lobbyist Registry come into effect on Monday, May 12, 2025.
The Lobbyist Registry fosters accountability and transparency by publicly listing the names of lobbyists, their affiliations, lobbying objectives, and the Town officials lobbied. Lobbyists must register within ten days following any interaction with a public official. Following initial approval, a six-month grace period from penalties was extended to enable Council, staff and the public to familiarize themselves with the new process. Now that the grace period has expired, penalties will be enforced as follows:
- A 30-day ban on communication with public office holders on the first violation
- A 60-day ban on communication with public office holders on the second violation
- Further sanctions as determined by the Lobbyist Registrar for the third and any subsequent violations
The Town has created a dedicated web page to house the Lobbyist Registry. It includes a set of frequently asked questions to provide additional information, including who is considered a lobbyist, what activities are considered lobbying, how to register and how to report lobbying activities.
