WHAT IS LOBBYING?
Lobbying is when someone employed by a company meets with government officials to try to influence policies, government programs, funding decisions, or the awarding of government contracts.
Politicians can choose who they will accept meetings with. They are under no obligation to meet with and listen to lobbyists.
How has oil and gas lobbying shaped Canadian climate policy?
Big oil is the biggest barrier to climate action in Canada. Their lobbyists push back against policies that would impose regulations on their industry and advocate for subsidies, tax breaks and loopholes. With large budgets and dedicated staff, oil and gas lobbyists have been very effective in delaying, weakening and even killing essential environmental policies.
These lobbyists have been meetings with politicians and government staff for decades, but they have been especially bold in the last few years. In fact, a secret memo from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers to the federal government in March 2020 was leaked, revealing how the industry association wanted all sorts of rules and regulations dropped or delayed, including environmental monitoring and new protections for workers in the industry.
MEETINGS
IN 2023, OIL & GAS LOBBYISTS HAD 1,173 MEETINGS WITH GOVERNMENT AND HAVE MET WITH
Environment and Climate Change Canada
times
Natural Resources
Canada
Canada
times
Finance
Canada
Canada
times
PATHWAYS ALLIANCE
Pathways Alliance is a lobby group made up of the six largest oil sands company. As a group, they heavily push false solutions like carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) to perpetuate fossil fuel production.
Pathways Alliance
Meet Canada's Climate villains
Who are the people behind these companies and lobby groups holding us back from taking meaningful action? They're the influential players behind Canada's oil and gas industry who are more concerned about their profits and wealth than the future of the planet.
Canada's Climate Villains
Ready to out-lobby oil and gas?
Oil and gas lobby groups aren't the only ones that have access to elected officials. Check out our Advocacy 101 video series to learn how to get started and talk to your local representatives about climate action.
Take action
FOLLOW THE LOBBY BOT
The bot automatically posts on Twitter all recent instances of oil and gas companies lobbying politicians in the Canadian government. In many of these meetings, these companies are trying to block climate action and get more subsidies.
