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ARTICLE · 30 APRIL 2018

Canada Announces A National Intellectual Property Strategy

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On the occasion of World IP Day (April 26), the Canadian government unveiled its first national Intellectual Property Strategy (the "Strategy").

CanadaIntellectual Property
Peter Giddens
Peter Giddens
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On the occasion of World IP Day (April 26), the Canadian government unveiled its first national Intellectual Property Strategy (the "Strategy"). In 2017, the Federal budget committed $85.3 million dollars over five years to assist with the development and implementation of the Strategy which was finally unveiled on Thursday. The Strategy's three prongs consist of (1) IP legislative reforms, (2) a reduction in the complexity and cost of IP protection and (3) initiatives to improve IP awareness and education. Be it clarifying acceptable IP business practices in Canada ("We're coming after you, Mr. Trolls", warned Minister Bains in his announcement speech), reinforcing the importance of use in Canadian trademark law, extending the rights of IP licensees where the licensors are insolvent or finally creating the long-sought College of Patent and Trademark Agents, Canada's IP landscape is being reshaped.

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