Document Types

The Advanced Registry Search allows you to indicate which documents you wish to search within the Registry. Depending upon your document type choice, the criteria types provided will change. When searching both Registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports (the search default), only those criteria types which are found in both document types are provided. If Registrations only is selected, all criteria types pertaining to registrations are provided and finally, if Lobbying Activity Reports only are chosen, all criteria types pertaining to lobbying Lobbying Activity Reports are provided.

• Document type choices include:
  • Registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports: Results will include both registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports. See below for a description of each document types.
  • Registrations (active and inactive): Results will include registrations only — in any status. See below for a description of registration types.
  • Registrations (active only): Results will include active registrations only. An active registration is a registration which has no end date. See below for a description of the registrations types.
  • Lobbying Activity Reports: Designated Filers (consultant lobbyists and senior officers for organizations) are required to disclose certain details regarding each lobbying activity with SPOHs. Information in a Lobbying Activity Report includes the date of the activity, the names of the SPOHs who participated in the lobbying activity and the subject matter details of the lobbying activity. Designated Filers are required to file all Lobbying Activity Reports by the 15th of the month following the month when the lobbying activities took place.

• The registry contains the following document types:
  • Registrations: The Lobbyists Transparency Act applies to individuals who are paid to communicate with provincial public office holders on behalf of a client or their employer in respect of certain subjects. There are two types of registrations:
    • Consultant lobbyist Registration Return: A registration where an individual (consultant lobbyist) has been contracted by an organization or individual to communicate with provincial public office holders. The consultant lobbyist Registration Return includes information on the consultant lobbyist and any provincial public offices he/she has held, information on the client (including any government funding received) and other direct interests of the lobbying activity, particulars of the subject matter of the lobbying activity and the BC Ministries/Provincial Entities that are the target of the lobbying. The consultant lobbyist is required to file a Registration Return within 10 days after beginning to lobby on behalf go the client and to file monthly updates if there is new information to report.
    • Organization registration: A registration where an organization employs one or more individuals any part of whose duties is to communicate with provincial public office holders on behalf of the employer in respect of certain subject matter. The Lobbyists Transparency Act requires that the officer responsible for filing returns (the most senior paid officer of the organization) register the organization. The Senior Officer must file a return within 10 days of the date the organization first has an in-house lobbyist. The organization registration includes information on the organization (including any government funding received), its parent and any subsidiaries that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity, a list of the employees and a list of individuals who lobby on behalf of the organization and any provincial public offices they formerly held, particulars of the subject matter of the lobbying activity and the BC Ministries/Provincial Entities that are the target of the lobbying.
  • Lobbying Activity Reports: Designated Filers (consultant lobbyists and senior officers for organizations) are required to disclose certain details regarding each lobbying activity with SPOHs. Information in a Lobbying Activity Report includes the date of the activity, the names of the SPOHs who participated in the lobbying activity and the subject matter details of the lobbying activity. Designated Filers are required to file all Lobbying Activity Reports by the 15th of the month following the month when the lobbying activities took place.

The AND/OR operators allow you to perform more complex searches by applying the operator between criteria entered within the search form.

Using both operator types (AND and OR) in a search query

• When the OR operator is used, the system puts the criteria separated by the OR operators in a grouping (within brackets). Therefore, the order in which the operators are used has an effect on how the query is performed. See the examples below:

  • Example 1:

    You select: Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) AND Subject Matter: Environment OR Subject Matter: Climate

    System performs: Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) AND (Subject Matter: Environment OR Subject Matter: Climate)

    Results would include documents that contain:

    • Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) AND Subject Matter: Climate
    • Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) AND Subject Matter: Environment
    • Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) AND Subject Matter: Climate and Environment

  • Example 2:

    You select: Subject Matter: Climate OR Subject Matter: Environment AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) OR Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Energy Board (NEB)

    System performs: (Subject Matter: Climate OR Subject Matter: Environment) AND (Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) OR Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Energy Board (NEB))

    Results would include documents that contain:

    • Subject Matter: Climate AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC).
    • Subject Matter: Climate AND MinistryMinistry/Provincial Entity/Provincial Entity: National Energy Board (NEB)
    • Subject Matter: Environment AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC).
    • Subject Matter: Environment AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Energy Board (NEB)
    • Subject Matter: Climate and Environment AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC).
    • Subject Matter: Climate and Environment AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Energy Board (NEB).
    • Subject Matter: Climate AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) and National Energy Board (NEB)
    • Subject Matter: Environment AND Ministry/Provincial Entity: National Research Council (NRC) and National Energy Board (NEB)

For registrations: Limits results to those registrations which were active at any time on or between the dates entered.

For lobbying activities: Limits results to those Lobbying Activity Reports that took place on or between the dates entered.

Note: You can enter dates into either one or both fields. If no date is entered in the From (YYYY-MM-DD) field, it will search for all documents up to the date entered in the To (YYYY-MM-DD) field. If no date is entered in the To (YYYY-MM-DD) field, it will search for all documents on or after the date entered in the From (YYYY-MM-DD) field. Note that the requirement to submit Lobbying Activity Reports began on May 4, 2020.

• Allows you to perform a full text search against registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports in the Registry. The keyword search also allows you to choose between three operator types:
  • Keyword — with all of the words: Limits results to those documents which contain all of the words entered, no matter where the words are within the document.
  • Keyword — with the exact phrase: Limits results to those documents which contain the exact phrase as entered.
  • Keyword — at least one of these words: Limits results to those documents which contain one or more of the words entered.
• Other options within the keyword search:
• Wildcard operator: Allows you to enter part of a word or miss a word from within an exact phrase. Here are some examples:
  • Partial word examples:
    • Ste*: Will find any document with at least one word starting with "Ste" such as: Steven, Steve, Stephen, etc.
    • *mobile: Will find any document with at least one word ending with "mobile" such as: automobile, snowmobile, etc.
  • Missing word in phase examples:
    • Oil * industry: Will find any document with the phrase "oil <anything> industry" such as: oil sands industry, oil heating industry, etc.
    • Oil * * industry: Will find any document with the phrase "oil <anything> <anything> industry" such as: oil and gas industry, oil and energy industry, etc.

• Client name of consultant lobbyist: Searches within the client name of consultant lobbyist Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Organization name: Searches within the organization name of Organization Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Coalition member name: Searches within coalition names in Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports. For Lobbying Activity Reports, when indicated the activity was on behalf of it's coalition members, this will search within the coalition member names associated to the underlying registration. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Client, organization or coalition member name: Searches within client, organization or coalition names within Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports. For Lobbying Activity Reports, when indicated the activity was on behalf of it's coalition members, this will search within the coalition member names associated to the underlying registration. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Consultant lobbyist name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the consultant lobbyist in Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Senior Officer name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the Senior Officer within Organization registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Consultant Lobbyist or Senior Officer name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the consultant lobbyist (within consultant lobbyist Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports) and the Senior Officer (within organization Registration Returns and Lobbying Activity Reports). Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.

• Within a registration, the designated filer is required to select one or more subject matter intended outcome, from a pre-determined drop-down list, which pertains to the lobbying activity. Within a Lobbying Activity Report, the designated filer is required to select one or more subject matter intended outcome that was part of the lobbying activity. Using this criteria type will find both registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports which contain the subject matter intended outcome selected.

• Within a registration, the designated filer is required to select one or more BC Ministries/Provincial Entities which they intend to lobby. Within a Lobbying Activity Report, the designated filer is required to select the BC ministry/provincial entity for each SPOH entered. Using this criteria type will find both registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports which contain the BC Ministries/Provincial Entities selected.

• Allows you to perform a full text search against registrations and Lobbying Activity Reports in the Registry. The keyword search also allows you to choose between three operator types:
  • Keyword — with all of the words: Limits results to those documents which contain all of the words entered, no matter where the words are within the document.
  • Keyword — with the exact phrase: Limits results to those documents which contain the exact phrase as entered.
  • Keyword — at least one of these words: Limits results to those documents which contain one or more of the words entered.
• Other options within the keyword search:
  • Wildcard operator: Allows you to enter part of a word or miss a word from within an exact phrase. Here are some examples:
    • Partial word examples:
      • Ste*: Will find any document with at least one word starting with "Ste" such as: Steven, Steve, Stephen, etc.
      • *mobile: Will find any document with at least one word ending with "mobile" such as: automobile, snowmobile, etc.
    • Missing word in phase examples:
      • Oil * industry: Will find any document with the phrase "oil <anything> industry" such as: oil sands industry, oil heating industry, etc.
      • Oil * * industry: Will find any document with the phrase "oil <anything> <anything> industry" such as: oil and gas industry, oil and energy industry, etc.

• Consultants lobbyists only: Limits results to consultant lobbyists registrations only.
• Organizations only: Limits results to Organizations registrations only.

• Client name of consultant lobbyist: Searches within the client name of consultant lobbyist registrations only. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Organization name: Searches within the organization name of Organization registrations only
• Client or organization name: Searches within client or organization names within all registration types. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Affiliate with direct interest name: Searches within the subsidiary names of the client or organization within Consultant and Organization registrations only. Within Consultant and Organization registrations, the designated filer is required to enter the name of each subsidiary of the client/organization that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity, if any exist. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Coalition member name: Searches within the names of the members of the coalition within Registration Returns. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Other persons or organizations with direct interest: Searches within the direct interest names within Registration Returns. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Name of contributor to the lobbying activity: Searches within the contributor names within Registration Returns. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Lobbyist name (consultant or in-house lobbyist): Searches within the first and/or last name of both consultant lobbyists (consultant lobbyist Registration Returns) and in-house lobbyists (within organization Registration Returns). Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• In-house lobbyist name: Searches within the first and/or last name of lobbyists within Organization registrations only. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Consultant lobbyist name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the consultant lobbyist. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Senior Officer name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the Senior Officer within Organization registrations only. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Firm name of a consultant lobbyist: Searches within the name of the consulting firm within consultant lobbyist Registration Returns. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Contributions by the consultant lobbyist: Consultant lobbyists are required to report whether they have made any political, sponsorship or recall contributions since the date the writ was issued for the last provincial election.
• Contributions by the client: Consultant lobbyists are required to report whether their client has made any political, sponsorship or recall contributions since the date the writ was issued for the last provincial election, even if Elections BC is not yet showing the contribution.
• Contributions by the organization lobbyists: In-house lobbyists are required to report whether they have made any political, sponsorship or recall contributions since the date the writ was issued for the last provincial election if they have performed a lobbying activity.

• Gifts or benefits provided by the consultant: A consultant must declare all gifts given or promised to all public office holders they are lobbying. By selecting this criteria, it will provide all registrations where this was indicated.
• Gifts or benefits provided by the organization: All in-house lobbyists within and organization registration must declare all gifts given or promised to all public office holders they are lobbying. By selecting this criteria, it will provide all registrations where this was indicated.
• Description of the gift or benefit: Searches within the provided description of the gift or benefit to the public office holder.
• Circumstance of gift or benefit: Searches within the provided circumstance of the gift or benefit to the public office holder.
• Public office holder name: Provides the ability to search for public office holder names who have been given or promised a gift or benefit.

• Province or state: Client of consultant lobbyist: Searches using the selected province or state against the address for the client within consultant lobbyist Registration Returns.
• Province or state: Organization: Searches using the selected province or state against the address for the organization within Organization registrations only.
• Province or state: Client or organization: Searches using the selected province or state against the address for clients (within consultant lobbyist Registration Returns) and organizations (within organization Registration Returns).
• Province or state: Affiliate: Searches using the selected province or state against the address for the subsidiary within Consultant and Organization registrations.
• Province or state: Coalition member: Searches using the selected province or state against the address for the coalition members.
• Province or state: Direct interest (person or organization): Searches using the selected province or state against the address for persons or organizations with direct interests.
• Province or state: Consultant lobbyist: Searches using the selected province or state against the business address for the consultant lobbyist.
• Province or state: Firm of a consultant lobbyist: Searches using the selected province or state against the address for the consultant lobbyist firm.
• Province or state: Within any address: Searches using the selected province or state against any address.

• Country: Client of consultant Lobbyist: Searches using the selected country against the address for the client.
• Country: Organization: Searches using the selected country against the address for the organization within Organization registrations only.
• Country: Client or organization: Searches using the selected country against the address for clients (within consultant Registration Returns) and organizations (within organization Registration Returns).
• Country: Affiliate: Searches using the selected country against the address for the subsidiary within Consultant and Organization registrations.
• Country: Coalition member: Searches using the selected country against the address for the coalition members.
• Country: Direct interest (person or organization): Searches using the selected country against the address for the persons or organizations with direct interests.
• Country: Consultant lobbyist: Searches using the selected country against the business address for the consultant lobbyist.
• Country: Firm of a consultant lobbyist: Searches using the selected country against the address for the consultant firm within consultant lobbyist registrations only.
• Country: Within any address: Searches using the selected country against any address.

• Note on government funding: The designated filer is required to enter government funding information if the client or organization requested or received funding from any domestic or foreign government institution within the preceding 12 months.
• Received funding: Provides the option to search for any registration where the client or organization has received funding from any domestic or foreign government institution within the preceding 12 months.
• Requested funding: Provides the option to search for any registration where the client or organization has requested funding from any domestic or foreign government institution within the preceding 12 months.
• Funding received amount: Searches for registrations where government funding received entries exist and where the sum of the funding received falls within the range entered. Note that funding amounts can be entered into one or both fields.
• Funding requested amount: Searches for registrations where government funding requested entries exist and where the sum of the funding received falls within the range entered. Note that funding amounts can be entered into one or both fields.
• BC provincial institution providing funding: Searches for registrations using the selected government institution where a funding entry exists with that institution.
• Foreign, provincial or municipal institution providing funding: Searches for the text entered in registrations in the field "Other institution". Typically, this field in a registration is manually filled out when a client or organization request or received funding, from a government institution other than one within the BC Government. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Note on former public offices held in BC information: For any lobbyist included in a registration, the designated filer is required to enter information for each former public office held (POH) within the BC government.
  • BC Public Offices Held indication: Provides the option to search for any registrations where the designated filer has indicated Yes or No to the question: At any time, has the lobbyist held public offices within the BC government? Note: if Yes is chosen, for Organization registrations, at least one of the lobbyists listed would need to have POH information to be included in the search results. If No is chosen, no lobbyist within the Organization registration would have any POH information.
  • Former public office held in BC position title: Searches within the position titles for POH records within registrations. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
  • Public office held department name: Searches within the department names for POH records within registrations. Note: Department names were only collected as separate data elements in registrations after May 4, 2020. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
  • Lobbyist with exemption: Searches for any registrations where the designated filer has entered an exemption number related to the following question: If the lobbyist has been granted an exemption from the two-year prohibition on lobbying, provide the exemption number received from the Registrar.

• Subject matter: Searches for registrations using the selected subject matter intended outcome.
• Subject matter details: Searches within the subject matter details entered within registrations. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Ministry/Provincial Entity: Searches for registrations using the selected BC ministry/provincial entity that has been chosen from a drop-down list as the target of the lobbying activity.

• Active between these dates: Searches for registrations that were active at any time on or between the dates entered. Note: You can enter dates into either one or both fields.
• Active on this date: Searches for registrations that were active on the date entered.
• Currently active: Searches for any registration that is currently active. This would be a registration that has no end date.
• Currently inactive: Searches for any registration that is currently inactive. This would be a registration that has an end date. Note: A registration version may be inactive, but the lobbying activity may still be active. To determine if the activity is currently active, within the registration view, in the Registration Information section near the top of the page, a label titled Registration status is shown. This will indicate if the lobbying activity is Active or Inactive.
• First version effective date between: Searches for any first version of registrations where the effective date is on or between the dates entered. Note: You can enter dates into either one or both fields.

• Note on registration numbers: Registration numbers contain 2 identifiers and a version number. Example registration number: 54321-12345-12. In the example shown, the first identifier (54321) is the designated filer number. This is the account number for the designated filer who filed the registration. The second number (12345) is the client or organization number. When a designated filer starts an activity with a client or organization, a unique second number is assigned to the activity. The third number (12) indicates the number of versions that exist for that client or organization lobbying activity.
• Note on Senior Officer changes: If a registered organization has a change in Senior Officer (i.e. designated filer), that registration is updated and transferred to the new Senior Officer. When this happens, the organization number continues, but the designated filer number used in the updated version changes to the new Senior Officer. For example: If an Organization registration number is 54321-12345-12, and then is updated through a Senior Officer change to a new designated filer account (example: 98765), the updated registration number would be: 98765-12345-13.
  • Registration number: Searches using the entered registration number. You have the option to enter the following combinations:
    • Complete registration number (example: 54321-12345-12). This will provide a single registration result.
    • Only the designated filer number and client or organization number (example: 54321-12345). This will provide all versions of this particular lobbying activity for the designated filer number indicated.
    • Only the client or organization number (example 12345). This will provide all the registration versions for the client or organization identified.
    • Only the designated filer number (example: 54321). This will provide all the registration versions of all lobbying activities for the designated filer identified.
  • Client or organization number: Searches using the entered client or organization number. This will provide all the registration versions for the client or organization identified.
  • Designated Filer number: Searches using the entered designated filer number. This will provide all the registration versions of all lobbying activities for the designated filer identified.

• Allows you to perform a full text search against Lobbying Activity Reports within the Registry. The keyword search also allows you to choose between three operator types:
  • Keyword — with all of the words: Limits results to those documents which contain all of the words entered, no matter where the words are within the document.
  • Keyword — with the exact phrase: Limits results to those documents which contain the exact phrase as entered.
  • Keyword — at least one of these words: Limits results to those documents which contain one or more of the words entered.
• Other options within the keyword search:
  • Wildcard operator: Allows you to enter part of a word or miss a word from within an exact phrase. Here are some examples:
    • Partial word examples:
      • Ste*: Will find any document with at least one word starting with "Ste" such as: Steven, Steve, Stephen, etc.
      • *mobile: Will find any document with at least one word ending with "mobile" such as: automobile, snowmobile, etc.
    • Missing word in phrase examples:
      • Oil * industry: Will find any document with the phrase "oil <anything> industry" such as: oil sands industry, oil heating industry, etc.
      • Oil * * industry: Will find any document with the phrase "oil <anything> <anything> industry" such as: oil and gas industry, oil and energy industry, etc.

• Client name of consultant lobbyist: Searches within the client name of consultant lobbyist Lobbying Activity Reports only. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Organization name: Searches within the organization name of Organization Lobbying Activity Reports only. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Coalition member name: Where a Lobbying Activity Report has indicated the activity was on behalf of it's coalition members, this will search within the coalition member names associated to the underlying registration. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
• Client, organization or coalition member name: Searches within client or organization names within Lobbying Activity Reports only and where a Lobbying Activity Report has indicated the activity was on behalf of it's coalition members, this will search within the coalition member names associated to the underlying registration. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Consultant Lobbyist name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the consultant lobbyist within Lobbying Activity Reports. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Senior Officer name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the Senior Officer within Lobbying Activity Reports associated to Organization registrations. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
• Consultant Lobbyist or Senior Officer name: Searches within the first and/or last name of the consultant lobbyist (within Lobbying Activity Reports associated to consultant lobbyist Registration Returns) and the Senior Officer (within Lobbying Activity Reports associated to organization Registration Returns). Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.

• Occurred between these dates: Searches for Lobbying Activity Reports that occurred on or between the dates entered. Note: You can enter dates into either one or both fields. If no date is entered in the From (YYYY-MM-DD) field, it will search for all documents between May 4, 2020 and the date entered in the To (YYYY-MM-DD) field. If no date is entered in the To (YYYY-MM-DD) field, it will search for all documents on or after the date entered in the From (YYYY-MM-DD) field.
• Occurred on this date: Searches for Lobbying Activity Reports that occurred on the date entered. Note that the requirement to file Lobbying Activity Reports began on

  Criteria section  — Senior Public Office Holder (SPOH) Information

  • SPOH ministry/provincial entity: Searches for SPOHs entered within Lobbying Activity Reports with the selected BC ministry/provincial entity.
  • SPOH name: Searches for SPOHs entered within Lobbying Activity Reports using the entered first and/or last name. Note: You can enter text into either one or both fields and the wildcard operators can be used.
  • SPOH position title: Searches for SPOHs entered within Lobbying Activity Reports using the entered position title. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.
  • SPOH branch/unit: Searches for SPOHs entered within Lobbying Activity Reports using the entered branch/unit name. Note: Wildcard operators can be used.

• Searches for Lobbying Activity Reports using the selected subject matter intended outcome.

• Note on Lobbying Activity Report numbers: Lobbying Activity Report numbers contain 2 identifiers. Example Lobbying Activity Report number: 54321-12345. In the example shown, the first identifier (54321) is the client or organization number. The second number (12345) is the Lobbying Activity Report number identifier.
• • Lobbying Activity Report number: Searches using the entered Lobbying Activity Report number. This will provide a single Lobbying Activity Report result.
  • Client or organization number: Searches using the entered client or organization number. This will provide all the registration versions for the client or organization identified.