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ARTICLE · 06 APRIL 2026

Hague Industrial Design Filings In Canada: Prosecuting An International Application Designating Canada

Gowling WLG
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Canada's participation in the Hague System offers design owners a streamlined route for seeking industrial design protection across multiple jurisdictions. For applicants with international filing programs...

CanadaIntellectual Property

Canada's participation in the Hague System offers design owners a streamlined route for seeking industrial design protection across multiple jurisdictions. For applicants with international filing programs, the system can materially reduce administrative burden - one application, one language, one set of fees, and centralized post-filing management through WIPO. However, the Hague route does not eliminate national substantive review. A designation of Canada remains subject to examination by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) under domestic industrial design law.

Executive summary

For businesses seeking industrial design protection in Canada as part of a broader international strategy, the Hague System can be an efficient filing and portfolio-management tool. That said, applicants should not assume that a WIPO-based filing materially softens the Canadian prosecution burden. WIPO handles the filing mechanics and publication; CIPO determines whether the designation will

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