Summary
Proposed changes to Canada's Patent Rules are expected to
come into force in the fall of 2019. The changes will be enacted by
replacing the existing Patent Rules with a new set of rules (the
"New Rules"). The provisions and precise
wording of the proposed New Rules remain subject to change for the
next several months.
The New Rules are intended to: 1) accord with amendments made to
the Patent Act to allow Canada's ratification of the Patent Law
Treaty (PLT), and 2) modernize and codify aspects of Canada's
patent regime. Many of the New Rules have already been incorporated
in practice notes issued by the Canadian Intellectual Property
Office (CIPO). For an outline of the more significant proposed
changes found in the New Rules, see our December 10, 2018 Update Significant Changes to the Patent Rules Coming
to Canada in 2019.
