Copy of this publication To obtain a copy of this publication, or to receive it in an alternate format (Braille, large print, etc.), please fill out the Publication Request form or contact: ISED Citizen Services Centre
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
C.D. Howe Building
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H5
Canada Telephone (toll-free in Canada): 1‑800‑328‑6189
Telephone (international): 613‑954‑5031
TTY (for hearing impaired): 1‑866‑694‑8389
Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Email: ised-isde@ised-isde.gc.ca
Copy of this publication To obtain a copy of this publication, or to receive it in an alternate format (Braille, large print, etc.), please fill out the Publication Request form or contact: ISED Citizen Services Centre
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
C.D. Howe Building
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H5
Canada Telephone (toll-free in Canada): 1‑800‑328‑6189
Telephone (international): 613‑954‑5031
TTY (for hearing impaired): 1‑866‑694‑8389
Business hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Email: ised-isde@ised-isde.gc.ca
Copyright also protects performances, sound recordings and communication signals, such as radio waves.
When you register your copyright, you receive a certificate issued by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) that you can use in court as evidence that you own the work.
Copyright automatically protects your work as soon as you create it.
It lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years after their death.
Please see the Payments and fees page for information about CIPO's fees.
Once you have registered a copyright with CIPO, no further fees are required to maintain the registration.
An employer may hold the copyright for works created by employees, unless there is an agreement in place stating otherwise.
The Copyright Board of Canada sets the royalties for the use of works protected by copyright administered by a collective society.
Shakespeare's plays are part of the public domain, as the term for copyright has expired. Now everyone has an equal right to reproduce or republish those works.
Evaluating and identifying your original works is an important part of your business. Think about how you will use the copyright of the work you publish. You should also think about how to benefit from the ownership of that copyright and the types of licensing or royalty arrangements you may want to explore.
Product designs, photographic images, songs, performances and computer programs are all valuable works and have the potential to earn revenue in the marketplace.
Canadian law protects all original creative works, provided the conditions set out in the Copyright Act have been met. Simply put, the Act prohibits others from copying your work without your permission. Its purpose is to protect copyright owners while promoting creativity and the orderly exchange of ideas. Moreover, it also protects moral rights such as the right to the integrity of the work.
Note: CIPO cannot guarantee that the legitimacy of ownership or the originality of a work will never be questioned.
Increase your revenue and market share by licensing your copyright or part of a copyright work for exclusive or limited use to interested parties. A written agreement can detail how your copyright can be used.
You can also sell your copyright to generate revenue for your business. However, once it has been sold, you no longer have any control over how your copyright is used. Exceptionally, moral rights remain with the author.
Monitor the marketplace for any unauthorized reproduction of your work. Enforcement is the responsibility of the copyright owner.
Be proactive! You may wish to place a copyright notice prominently on your work. It should include the date of first publication, the name of the owner and the copyright symbol (©).
For more information on copyright, please visit the Copyright page or contact our Client Service Centre at 1-866-997-1936 .
Except as otherwise specifically noted, the information in this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from the Department of Industry, provided that due diligence is exercised in ensuring the accuracy of the information reproduced; that the Department of Industry is identified as the source institution; and that the reproduction is not represented as an official version of the information reproduced, or as having been made in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of, the Department of Industry.
For permission to reproduce the information in this publication for commercial purposes, please fill out the Application for Crown Copyright Clearance or contact the ISED Citizen Services Centre mentioned above.
Ⓒ Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry,
Aussi offert en français sous le titre Droit d'auteur .
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