Provincial Entities
Provincial entities are provincial government organizations and agencies that are included in the government reporting entity but fall outside the core operations of the provincial government. (Core government is generally understood to be comprised of government ministries, the Office of the Premier, and legislative offices.)
Therefore, under the LTA, the term “Provincial entity” refers generally to provincial government agencies or organizations outside core government.
Provincial entities include:
• Crown corporations
• School districts
• Public sector post-secondary institutions such as colleges and universities
• Health authorities
Please see pages 5-7 in the following document for a list of provincial entities in BC: http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/oic/oic_cur/0596_2019
How do I determine whether to report lobbying communications directed toward Provincial entities?
The LTA requires lobbying of a Provincial entity to be reported if the lobbying communication is directed toward a person included in the definition of a “public office holder.” If you are not lobbying a person who is included in that definition, there is no requirement to report those communications as lobbying activities. To determine whether you need to report lobbying communications directed at a Provincial entity, follow these steps:
- First, determine whether you are lobbying a Provincial entity. The Lobbyists Transparency Regulation defines Provincial entities as the Workers’ Compensation Board or one of the entities that make up the government reporting entity within the meaning of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act (other than the government, as reported through the consolidated revenue fund).
- Next, determine whether the Provincial entity is a government corporation as defined by the Financial Administration Act.
- If the Provincial entity is a government corporation → then all officers, directors, and employees are “public office holders,” including anyone appointed to the corporation by the Lieutenant Governor in Council or by a Minister. Examples of government corporations include the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, British Columbia Transit, the Oil and Gas Commissioner, and the BC Lottery Corporation. If your lobbying communications are with a Provincial entity that is a government corporation, then all officers, directors, and employees of that entity and all appointees are “public office holders.”
- If the Provincial entity is not a government corporation (e.g. a School Board) → then “public office holders” are those persons appointed to the Provincial entity by the Lieutenant Governor in Council or a Minister. If your lobbying communications are with a Provincial entity that is not a government corporation, then only the individuals appointed to their positions by the Lieutenant Governor in Council or a Minister are “public office holders.” In other words, individuals who are not appointed to their positions are not “public office holders.”
In the unusual circumstance that you are lobbying a Provincial entity by communicating with an MLA, a member of their staff, or an officer or employee of the BC government, you must declare the lobbying activity, because each of these individuals are considered “public office holders” under the LTA.
Lobbyists can search the BC Directory of Agencies to determine whether their lobbying communication was with a person who is appointed to their position in relation to the definition of “public office holder.” Click on the name of an agency to view current appointments that have been made by or with the approval of a minister or the Lieutenant Governor in Council.