When Queen’s Park rises for the summer, many organizations assume government does too, and they take their foot off the gas. Don’t make that mistake. Government doesn’t stop when the Legislature does. Ministers are on the road. MPPs are on the ground in their ridings. Political staff are working on priorities for the fall. Policy work continues behind the scenes. In many ways, summer offers something the regular legislative calendar rarely does: time. By September, much of the agenda is already locked in. Summer is your chance to influence the priority list before everyone else starts chasing it.
Here are five ways to make that window count.
Meet MPPs Where Issues Matter Most: Their Communities
Follow the iron law of politics: all politics is local. Every MPP knows they don’t get a ticket back to the Pink Palace unless they first win at home. Summer is when they’re most focused on their communities. Skip yet another boardroom meeting. Invite your MPP to your organization. Let them meet your team and see your impact in the community firsthand. People remember experiences. Politicians remember a tour long after they’ve forgotten another PowerPoint or briefing note.
Be the First Call They Make, Not Just Another Stakeholder
Government can’t be an expert on every industry or every community. That’s your advantage. The organizations with the greatest influence aren’t the loudest. They’re the trusted local source government turns to when it needs practical, local insight. That trust isn’t built overnight. Summer is the perfect time to earn it through thoughtful conversations and a genuine understanding of local issues. Here’s the test: if an issue affecting your sector landed on your MPP’s desk tomorrow, would you be the first person they called?
Invest in Relationships Before You Need Them
The best advocacy starts long before a policy decision is on the table. Get to know not only elected officials, but the people around them. Political staff are key advisors who help refine priorities, test ideas, and move files forward. Summer creates more opportunities for informal conversations — with MPPs and their staff — at community events, fairs, their barbecues, and roundtables. Those conversations often build the trust and genuine relationships that matter most later.
Be First Through the Door This Fall
Getting in early is only useful if you bring something worth discussing. Some solutions are more compelling than others. Don’t just bring government a problem. Solve your problem by helping government solve one of its own. Use the summer to make that case with the people at Queen’s Park who are shaping the fall agenda. When the Legislature returns, you should be continuing conversations, not starting them.
Battle Test Your Case Before the Rush
If you wait until September, you’re already behind. Calendars fill. Priorities harden. Government moves from planning to execution. Summer is your chance to sharpen your case before the pace picks up. Socialize your ideas early. Refine your ask. Pressure test your message. Build buy-in before your formal proposal lands on a decision maker’s desk. The strongest advocacy campaigns don’t begin in September. They’re built over the summer.
Let others take the summer off. Do the heavy lifting now. Then, when everyone else is knocking on the door in September, you’ll already be inside.
The Legislature is out. Your advocacy shouldn’t be.