Copyright in Canada
- In Canada, your work is automatically copyrighted when you make it. Your copyright is applicable to all the countries that subscribe to international copyright treaties.
- You may register your work with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. This saves you a step when you need to challenge someone for copyright infringement. Registering a copyright takes approximately two months.
- Your entire copyrighted work or part of it can be can be licensed or sold.
Copyright Infringement
- Happens when one uses someone else’s copyrighted work without permission. (eg. reproducing, selling, performing, displaying etc.)
- You have three years, from when the act of copyright infringement took place, to take legal action.
- If you would like to use someone else’s copyrighted work and could not find the owner, you may ask permission from the Copyright Board.
Fair Dealing
- Copyrighted materials can be used for research, private study, criticism, review and news reporting.
- A copyrighted work may be performed by a school, church, and charitable organization.