A move proposed by Calgary’s mayor to introduce a municipal lobbyist registry amid an RCMP investigation into allegations of corruption has been endorsed by the province, according to a government spokesperson.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas revealed Thursday he has been working with others on council to bring forward a motion to establish a registry of lobbyists at city hall.
“Transparency and accountability are core priorities for the Government of Alberta,” a spokesperson for the Municipal Affairs Ministry said in a statement to Global News. “The City of Calgary is free to advance its own lobbying registry independently.”
The move comes amid an ongoing RCMP investigation into allegations that money was offered in exchange for a council vote during a public meeting last summer.
According to an affidavit from the lead investigator, the probe centres around allegations of municipal corruption, obstruction of justice and fabricating evidence.
The affidavit claims a development consultant allegedly “had been offering campaign donations that exceeded the maximum allowed to councillors, in exchange for them tabling a reconsideration motion,” after a land-use application in Bankview was defeated in a 6-6 tie during a July 2025 council meeting.
None of the allegations have been proven in court and no charges have been laid.
Farkas — who has refused to comment on the case — said the situation has raised questions about how influence is exercised at city hall.
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“When you have legitimate partners of the City of Calgary lobbying council, there’s nothing nefarious about that,” Farkas told Global News. “But actually having a legitimate process by which they can declare their interest and the public can understand what that interest is and how it may have influenced a decision, I think that makes things better for everybody.”
Bradley Lafortune with Public Interest Alberta said he agrees with Farkas, and that a “simple” process like a lobbyist registry could help with transparency and public trust at the municipal level.
According to Lafortune, questions and concerns over influence are important considering the matters that are handled at city hall.
“When we look at development and lands and bylaws and zoning, it’s a huge question about who has influence and how they’re how they’re applying it at city hall, he said.
“It’s a little bit cliche, but sunlight is always the best disinfectant. And so it can be as simple as a public registry with public reporting that is publicly accessible.”
Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, who has been critical of the move before the RCMP concludes its investigation, describes the influence on council as “a pressure cooker.”
“We have our voters and our constituents that have expectations and an approach to a problem that we’re trying to solve at council, and you’ll have industry and you’ll have other councillors,” she told Global News. “It’s constantly working in that pressure cooker of influence.”
Wyness said city councillors have been disclosing who they meet with in their offices, and added the registry is redundant.
How city councillors talk about the investigation “doesn’t help” public trust in city hall, Wyness said, calling it a “self-inflicted bruise.”
Ward 14 Coun Landon Johnston said there are gaps in accountability measures, with council being forced to “police ourselves” due to a lack of a code of conduct for municipally elected officials.
Earlier this year, the Government of Alberta said it would be introducing a universal code of conduct for municipalities by the end of the year.
Johnston said he is open to the framework proposed by Farkas, but isn’t convinced it’ll come with a solution.
“No amount of framework or legislation is going to stop corruption,” he said. “It’ll still happen on personal devices and behind closed doors.”
Other groups, like Democracy Watch, pointed to campaign finance rules in Calgary and Alberta.
Alberta residents can donate $5,000 in the aggregate to all council candidates, as well as school board trustee candidates and locally registered political parties.
Corporations, trade unions and employee organizations can also contribute $5,000 in the aggregate.
“Calgary essentially has a political donation system that allows for legalized bribery,” Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher told Global News.
“An average voter can’t afford that; it violates the democratic principle of one person, one vote, because the donation limit is so high.”
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