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ARTICLE · 26 FEBRUARY 2026

Top Five 2025 Trends In Canadian Copyright Law

Smart & Biggar
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2025 saw incremental developments in Canadian copyright matters. They are anticipated to set the foundation for potentially major changes in the coming years in AI and accessible remedies for infringement.

GlobalIntellectual Property
Tamara Winegust
Tamara Winegust
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2025 saw incremental developments in Canadian copyright matters. They are anticipated to set the foundation for potentially major changes in the coming years in AI and accessible remedies for infringement. They also highlight challenges litigants face when failing to support fundamental elements of their claims. Below are the top five trends we observed in Canadian copyright law over 2025 — and one bonus.

1. More claims at the intersection of copyright and AI

2024 gave us a first glimpse into lawsuits brought by content creators against generative AI companies in Canada advancing copyright infringement claims for the inclusion of their works in AI training models.12025 saw the trend increase significantly, with no fewer than six class actions being proposed across Federal and Provincial Courts in Québec and British Columbia, to advance various copyright and moral rights infringement claims against developers of Large Language Model AI technologies.2At least one

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The preceding is intended as a timely update on Canadian intellectual property and technology law. The content is informational only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. To obtain such advice, please communicate with our offices directly.

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