These tables provide an overview of patent activity, based on the latest available statistics.
On this page
Requests for examination
Figure 1: Requests for examination of patent applications
| |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Patent requests for examination |
28,199 |
28,046 |
30,163 |
28,209 |
28,193 |
29,737 |
52,601 |
Disposals
Figure 2: Patent application disposalsFootnote *
| |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Patent disposals |
32,635 |
31,629 |
29,757 |
27,046 |
28,585 |
28,079 |
27,554 |
Turnaround times
Figure 3: Average turnaround times for granting a patent after a request for examination
| |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Patent turnaround time (in months) |
36.7 |
33.6 |
32.0 |
31.1 |
31.1 |
30.8 |
32.5 |
Applications by language
Patent applications filed by language
| Language |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| English |
36,019 |
33,632 |
37,889 |
36,951 |
36,216 |
38,656 |
39,768 |
| French |
1,278 |
1,086 |
1,138 |
1,048 |
948 |
1,053 |
934 |
| Total |
36,019 |
34,718 |
39,027 |
37,999 |
37,164 |
39,709 |
40,702 |
Applications, requests for examination and patents granted by sector
Chemistry
| Chemistry patent applications |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filed |
13,095 |
12,679 |
13,433 |
13,329 |
15,863 |
| Requests for examination |
10,014 |
9,153 |
9,840 |
10,650 |
21,264 |
| Granted |
7,219 |
6,552 |
7,224 |
6,740 |
7,560 |
Electrical engineering
| Electrical engineering patent applications |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filed |
6,279 |
6,655 |
5,912 |
6,428 |
5,740 |
| Requests for examination |
5,005 |
5,293 |
4,884 |
4,913 |
8,010 |
| Granted |
3,994 |
3,523 |
3,791 |
3,329 |
4,057 |
Instruments
| Instrument patent applications |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filed |
6,504 |
6,319 |
6,078 |
6,757 |
6,153 |
| Requests for examination |
5,430 |
4,737 |
4,856 |
5,134 |
8,727 |
| Granted |
4,076 |
3,479 |
3,812 |
3,319 |
3,821 |
Mechanical engineering
| Mechanical engineering patent applications |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filed |
8,278 |
8,040 |
7,245 |
8,356 |
8,240 |
| Requests for examination |
6,434 |
5,856 |
5,449 |
5,749 |
9,250 |
| Granted |
5,023 |
4,815 |
4,976 |
4,046 |
4,395 |
Other fields
| Patent applications from other fields |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filed |
4,871 |
4,306 |
4,496 |
4,839 |
4,706 |
| Requests for examination |
3,280 |
3,170 |
3,164 |
3,291 |
5,350 |
| Granted |
2,781 |
2,636 |
2,648 |
2,091 |
2,472 |
All disciplines
| Patent applications from all disciplines |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filed |
39,027 |
37,999 |
37,164 |
39,709 |
40,702 |
| Request for examination |
30,163 |
28,209 |
28,193 |
29,737 |
52,601 |
| Granted |
23,093 |
21,005 |
22,451 |
19,525 |
22,305 |
Applications and patents granted to residents of Canada and foreign countries
Applications filed and patents granted to residents of Canada and foreign countries (fiscal year 2022 to 2023)
| Province, territory or country |
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications filed |
Non-PCT applications filed |
Total applications filed |
Total patents granted |
| Alberta |
283 |
532 |
815 |
456 |
| British Columbia |
298 |
355 |
653 |
243 |
| Manitoba |
38 |
84 |
122 |
61 |
| New Brunswick |
29 |
25 |
54 |
24 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador |
10 |
5 |
15 |
6 |
| Northwest Territories |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Nova Scotia |
35 |
27 |
62 |
29 |
| Nunavut |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Ontario |
830 |
1,286 |
2,116 |
961 |
| Prince Edward Island |
3 |
5 |
8 |
4 |
| Quebec |
424 |
904 |
1,328 |
539 |
| Saskatchewan |
30 |
112 |
142 |
75 |
| Yukon |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Residents of Canada (total) |
1,980 |
3,335 |
5,315 |
2,398 |
| Foreign countries |
29,629 |
5,758 |
35,387 |
19,907 |
| Total |
31,609 |
9,093 |
40,702 |
22,305 |
Applications and patents granted by origin as stated by the applicant
Patent applications filed and patents granted by origin as stated by the applicant (fiscal year 2022 to 2023)
| Origin |
Filed |
Granted |
| Algeria |
1 |
0 |
| Andorra |
1 |
0 |
| Anguilla |
1 |
0 |
| Argentina |
9 |
3 |
| Australia |
552 |
249 |
| Austria |
297 |
162 |
| Bahamas |
0 |
3 |
| Bahrain |
0 |
1 |
| Barbados |
10 |
30 |
| Belarus |
2 |
0 |
| Belgium |
414 |
186 |
| Belize |
4 |
1 |
| Benin |
1 |
0 |
| Bermuda |
15 |
7 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1 |
0 |
| Botswana |
1 |
0 |
| Brazil |
95 |
26 |
| Bulgaria |
9 |
2 |
| Cambodia |
4 |
1 |
| Canada |
4,400 |
2,416 |
| Cayman Islands |
47 |
54 |
| Chile |
30 |
15 |
| China |
1,997 |
887 |
| Colombia |
6 |
2 |
| Costa Rica |
2 |
1 |
| Cuba |
13 |
3 |
| Cyprus |
13 |
9 |
| Czech Republic |
32 |
21 |
| Denmark |
374 |
182 |
| Ecuador |
1 |
0 |
| Egypt |
3 |
0 |
| Estonia |
11 |
0 |
| Finland |
403 |
208 |
| France |
1,521 |
1,052 |
| Germany |
2,083 |
1,261 |
| Greece |
11 |
8 |
| Hungary |
16 |
12 |
| Iceland |
12 |
6 |
| India |
206 |
97 |
| Iran |
12 |
0 |
| Ireland |
261 |
105 |
| Isle of Man |
4 |
2 |
| Israel |
450 |
208 |
| Italy |
763 |
299 |
| Jamaica |
3 |
0 |
| Japan |
1,309 |
1,036 |
| Jersey |
0 |
1 |
| Jordan |
1 |
1 |
| Kuwait |
1 |
0 |
| Latvia |
7 |
2 |
| Lebanon |
1 |
0 |
| Liechtenstein |
53 |
32 |
| Lithuania |
10 |
2 |
| Luxembourg |
134 |
152 |
| Malaysia |
11 |
4 |
| Malta |
24 |
12 |
| Mauritius |
6 |
1 |
| Mexico |
32 |
19 |
| Monaco |
8 |
2 |
| Mongolia |
1 |
0 |
| Morocco |
4 |
1 |
| Netherlands |
645 |
347 |
| New Zealand |
125 |
71 |
| Niger |
0 |
1 |
| North Macedonia |
1 |
0 |
| Norway |
276 |
156 |
| Pakistan |
1 |
0 |
| Panama |
1 |
2 |
| Peru |
1 |
0 |
| Poland |
72 |
20 |
| Portugal |
41 |
13 |
| Qatar |
1 |
0 |
| Republic of Korea |
571 |
298 |
| Republic of Moldova |
1 |
1 |
| Romania |
7 |
2 |
| Russian Federation |
58 |
44 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
2 |
0 |
| Samoa |
1 |
0 |
| San Marino |
1 |
1 |
| Saudi Arabia |
24 |
37 |
| Seychelles |
2 |
0 |
| Singapore |
106 |
27 |
| Slovakia |
9 |
6 |
| Slovenia |
11 |
3 |
| South Africa |
46 |
30 |
| Spain |
264 |
112 |
| Sri Lanka |
2 |
1 |
| Sweden |
604 |
311 |
| Switzerland |
1,561 |
669 |
| Syrian Arab Republic |
0 |
1 |
| Taiwan |
100 |
40 |
| Thailand |
6 |
3 |
| Hong Kong |
8 |
5 |
| Tunisia |
1 |
0 |
| Turkey |
30 |
7 |
| Ukraine |
9 |
1 |
| United Arab Emirates |
17 |
3 |
| United Kingdom |
1,771 |
763 |
| United States of America |
18,625 |
10,527 |
| Uruguay |
3 |
2 |
| Venezuela |
0 |
1 |
| Viet Nam |
1 |
1 |
| Virgin Islands (British) |
4 |
15 |
| Total |
40,702 |
22,305 |
Top 10 applicants
Top 10 patent applicants (fiscal year 2022 to 2023)
| Applicant |
Number of applications filed |
| PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP. |
204 |
| HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. |
191 |
| NICOVENTURES TRADING LIMITED |
189 |
| BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY |
152 |
| BASF SE |
136 |
| JANSSEN BIOTECH, INC. |
135 |
| 10353744 CANADA LTD. |
129 |
| CAPITAL ONE SERVICES, LLC |
129 |
| SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE S.A. |
121 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA |
120 |
Top 10 Canadian applicants
Top 10 Canadian patent applicants (fiscal year 2022 to 2023)
| Applicant |
Number of applications filed |
| PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP. |
204 |
| 10353744 CANADA LTD. |
129 |
| THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK |
98 |
| SCHLUMBERGER CANADA LIMITED |
67 |
| NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF CANADA |
62 |
| ROYAL BANK OF CANADA |
36 |
| THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO |
34 |
| SHOPIFY INC. |
32 |
| BLACKBERRY LIMITED |
29 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA |
28 |
| THE ROYAL INSTITUTION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING/MCGILL UNIVERSITY |
28 |
Top 10 patentees
Top 10 patentees (fiscal year 2022 to 2023)
| Patentee |
Number of patents granted |
| THE BOEING COMPANY |
204 |
| HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC. |
155 |
| GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD. |
149 |
| 10353744 CANADA LTD. |
122 |
| QUALCOMM INCORPORATED |
100 |
| PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP. |
99 |
| HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. |
98 |
| ARCELORMITTAL |
97 |
| EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED |
87 |
| SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES |
83 |
| THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY |
83 |
Top 10 Canadian patentees
Top 10 Canadian patentees (fiscal year 2022 to 2023)
| Patentee |
Number of patents granted |
| 10353744 CANADA LTD. |
122 |
| PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP. |
99 |
| BLACKBERRY LIMITED |
57 |
| SCHLUMBERGER CANADA LIMITED |
53 |
| THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK |
51 |
| SUNCOR ENERGY INC. |
28 |
| NOVA CHEMICALS CORPORATION |
26 |
| CNH INDUSTRIAL CANADA, LTD. |
24 |
| BAUER HOCKEY LTD. |
23 |
| SYNAPTIVE MEDICAL INC. |
22 |
Patent Appeal Board operational statistics
Final actions
| Operational statistics |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Referrals |
91 |
75 |
101 |
71 |
52 |
36 |
29 |
| Disposals |
33 |
41 |
46 |
56 |
63 |
78 |
48 |
Industrial designs
| Operational statistics |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Referrals |
4 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Disposals |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Re-examination: section 48.1
| Operational statistics |
2016 to 2017 |
2017 to 2018 |
2018 to 2019 |
2019 to 2020 |
2020 to 2021 |
2021 to 2022 |
2022 to 2023 |
| Filings |
2 |
15 |
11 |
11 |
8 |
6 |
2 |
| Disposals |
9 |
7 |
4 |
11 |
13 |
11 |
7 |
