Trademarks

A trademark is a word, symbol, design, or a combination of these, used to distinguish the goods or services of one person in Canada from those of others in the Canadian marketplace.

Trademarks are often the primary way that consumers differentiate between the products or services in the marketplace. Consequently, trademarks tend to represent the identity and reputation of the trademark owner, and they are valuable business assets.

A key way of protecting trademarks in Canada is through the registration of the trademark. A trademark registration provides proof of legal title to the trademark in much the same way as a registration certificate provides proof of title to a parcel of real estate. The owner of a registered trademark in Canada has the exclusive right to use that trademark throughout all of Canada, regardless of where the trademark is being actually used.

For more information on Trademarks, download the Canadian Intellectual Property Office's "A Guide to Trade-marks".