The Trademarks Opposition Board (the "TMOB") has refused a trademark application for DOGKIND because it was considered confusing with a previously registered trademark for PETKIND.

Trademark registrants take note – a recent decision from the Trademarks Opposition Board ("TMOB") serves as a reminder of the importance of using your registered trademark as it is registered.

The Trademarks Opposition Board recently ruled on the validity of electronically notarized affidavits in trademark proceedings and imposed costs against a party for unreasonable conduct. The decision in Chilly Moose Ltd. v. Moosehead Breweries Limited addresses both the admissibility of remote notarization and the consequences of filing inaccurate legal submissions that complicate proceedings.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced fee adjustments in relation to trademark services to address increasing costs, effective January 2, 2021.

The Trademarks Opposition Board's recent ruling in Therrien Couture Joli-coeur v Oldcastle Building Products clarifies the evidentiary standards trademark owners must meet when responding to section 45 notices under Canada's Trademarks Act. This decision highlights critical distinctions between evidence of actual transfers versus mere advertising, and underscores the necessity of providing specific proof for each registered good to avoid expungement.

An application for leave to appeal the decision in Apotex Inc. v. Janssen Inc., 2024 FCA 9 has been filed by Apotex in the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC).

The College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (CPATA), the independent regulator of patent and trademark agents in Canada is responsible for administering...

AccelerateIP offers Canadian startups substantial funding and mentorship to develop intellectual property strategies, with three program streams providing up to $85,000 in combined support for IP development, legal costs...

The AccelerateIP program is now accepting applications.

On December 1, 2023, the Trademarks Opposition Board (TMOB) will implement changes regarding the Practice in trademark opposition proceedings and the Practice in section 45 proceedings.

The CIPO recently released a practice notice stating that the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th anniversary small entity maintenance fees for the years 2021 to 2024 were incorrectly published on the CIPO's website.

The amendments included a new mechanism for challenging official marks that are owned by entities that no longer exist or are not public authorities.

The Canadian Federal Court of Appeal recently issued a decision allowing York University's appeal against a ruling that York University was required to pay royalties...

In Matco Tools Corporation v. Canada (Attorney General), 2025 FC 118, the Federal Court set aside a decision by the Commissioner of Patents that refused to reinstate Matco's...

In McDowell v. A Drip of Honey, 2024 FC 453, the Plaintiff, Heather Ruth McDowell, brought an ex parte motion in writing seeking default judgment against the Defendant, A Drip of Honey.

On June 17, Justice Gagné of the Federal Court of Canada (the "Court") reaffirmed the purposive construction approach over the problem-solution approach for assessing patentability...

The Trademarks Opposition Board recently decided a case where Gurok Turizm challenged Louis Vuitton's Canadian trademark applications for its iconic interlocking "L" and "V" logo designs. Despite Louis Vuitton's claims of global recognition, the Board scrutinized whether the luxury brand's logos were sufficiently known in Canada and whether they could be confused with Gurok's "Lav" and "Làv" trademarks. The decision hinged on analyzing the distinctive elements, phonetic differences, and visual resembla

In continuing its efforts to streamline access to various services, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) announced that it will launch a new online portal for patent services, MyCIPO Patents.

Since April 1, 2025, the Trademarks Regulations has permitted the Registrar to order costs, on request, against a party in summary trademark expungement proceedings...

In Hello Nori Inc. v. Sushi Nozawa, LLC, 2025 TMOB 95, the Trademarks Opposition Board (the "TMOB")...