2020-2021 Annual Report
2020−2021 by the numbers

Patents

37,164 applications (2% decrease)

Number of applications by sector

  • Chemistry: 13,433 (6% increase)
  • Electrical engineering: 5,912 (11% decrease)
  • Instruments: 6,078 (4% decrease)
  • Mechanical engineering: 7,245 (10% decrease)
  • Other fields: 4,496 (4% increase)

28,193 requests for examinations (0.1% decrease)

22,451 grants (7% increase)

increase Increase from 2019–2020 decrease Decrease from 2019–2020

2020–2021 top patent applicants
2020–2021 top patent applicants - Text version
2020–2021 top patent applicants
Patent applicant Number of patent applications
Pratt & Whitney Canada 174
Saudi Arabian Oil Company 162
Huawei Technologies 161
OPPO 129
Halliburton Energy Services 123
Toronto-Dominion Bank 119
BASF SE 119
Boeing 117
Procter & Gamble 111
Pioneer Hi-Bred 108
Country of origin of patent applications
Country of origin of patent applications - Text version
  • Foreign countries: 31,668
  • Canada: 5,496

Among the patent applications received from Canada

  • Patent applications not filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): 3,852
  • Patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): 1,644
Among the patent applications received from foreign countries
Country of origin Number of applications
United States of America 16,563
Germany 2,032
China 1,652
Japan 1,450
France 1,416
United Kingdom 1,292
Switzerland 1,120
Italy 595
Netherlands 541
Australia 539

*Patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)

CIPO received 2,351 International Searching Authority applications and 144 International Preliminary Examination Authority applications.

Patent appeals

  • 52 applications received for rejected patents (27% decrease)
  • 47 decisions rendered by the Patent Appeal Board (15% increase)

increase Increase from 2019–2020 decrease Decrease from 2019–2020

Trademarks

76,168 applications (11% increase)

Types of marks:

  • Standard characters: 49,854
  • Design: 25,741
  • Colour: 207
  • Multi-type: 181
  • Three-dimensional (3-D): 99
  • Taste: 17
  • Mode of packaging goods: 16
  • Sound: 15
  • Position: 15
  • Texture: 13
  • Motion: 6
  • Scent: 2
  • Hologram: 2

21,350 registrations (63% decrease)

increase Increase from 2019–2020 decrease Decrease from 2019–2020

2020–2021 top trademark applicants
2020–2021 top trademark applicants - Text version
2020–2021 top trademark applicants
Trademark applicant Number of trademark applications
L'Oréal 277
LG 145
Johnson & Johnson 128
Novartis 123
Huawei 122
Home Depot 121
Unilever Canada 120
Apple 117
Spring Meadow Nursery 113
Petsmart 111
Country of origin of trademark applications
Country of origin of trademark applications - Text version

Foreign countries: 45,532

Canada: 30,636

Among the trademark applications received from foreign countries
Country of origin Number of applications
United States of America 18,775
China 8,205
Germany 2,073
United Kingdom 2,043
France 1,680
Japan 1,317
Switzerland 1,188
Australia 1,180
Republic of Korea 1,028
Italy 960

Use of the Madrid Protocol

Between April 2020 and March 2021, Canada was designated in 21,825 international trademark applications filed through the Madrid System, and ranked 5th behind the European Union, the United States of America, China, and the United Kingdom in overall designations with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). As an office of origin, CIPO certified 653 applications for international registration.

Contracting parties to the Madrid Protocol
Contracting parties to the Madrid Protocol - Text version

World map showing all contracting parties to the Madrid Protocol

Use of the Madrid Protocol: Between April 2020 and March 2021, Canada was designated in 21,825 international trademark applications filed through the Madrid System, and ranked 5th behind the European Union, the United States of America, China, and the United Kingdom in overall designations with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). As an office of origin, CIPO certified 653 applications for international registration.

Trademarks oppositions

462 oppositions (29% decrease)

  • 87% resolved through settlement negotiations between parties
  • 68 opposition hearings held (78% increase)
  • 115 opposition decisions rendered (16% increase)

615 requests for expungement (section 45) (12% decrease)

  • 63% of trademarks automatically expunged since no evidence of use was filed by the registered owner
  • 34 hearings held (47% increase)
  • 79 section 45 decisions rendered (6% increase)

increase Increase from 2019–2020 decrease Decrease from 2019–2020

Industrial designs

  • 8,161 applications (10% increase)
  • 5,095 registrations (5% decrease)

increase Increase from 2019–2020 decrease Decrease from 2019–2020

2020–2021 top industrial design applicants
2020–2021 top industrial design applicants - Text version
2020–2021 top industrial design applicants
Industrial design applicant Number of industrial design applications
Delta Faucet 253
Kronoplus 230
Harry Winston 161
Magic Leap 147
Apple 94
Paccar 93
Midea 88
JT International 80
Teqball 72
Philips 67
Country of origin of industrial design applications
Country of origin of industrial design applications - Text version
  • Foreign countries: 7,377
  • Canada: 784
Among the industrial design applications received from foreign countries
Country of origin Number of applications
United States of America 3,667
China 540
Switzerland 536
Germany 309
Malta 256
United Kingdom 238
Japan 197
France 195
Republic of Korea 145
Netherlands 143

Figures for industrial design applications do not include designs filed at WIPO that have not yet been received in Canada.

Contracting parties to the Hague Agreement
Contracting parties to the Hague Agreement - Text version

World map showing all contracting parties to the Hague Agreement

Use of the Hague Agreement: Canada has been designated in 3,010 international industrial design applications under the Hague Agreement; the applications contain over 7,347 designs.

Use of the Hague Agreement

Canada was designated in 1,065 international industrial design applications under the Hague Agreement; the applications contained over 2,580 designs.

Copyright

12,550 applications (43% increase)

12,579 registrations (44% increase)

  • Literary: 5,301
  • Musical: 1,467
  • Dramatic: 1,488
  • Artistic: 1,381
  • Combination of literary, musical, dramatic or artistic: 1,636
  • Sound recording: 1,168
  • Performance: 113
  • Communication signal: 25

increase Increase from 2019–2020 decrease Decrease from 2019–2020

2020–2021 top copyright applicants
2020–2021 top copyright applicants - Text version
2020–2021 top copyright applicants
Copyright applicant Number of copyright applications
Skyship Entertainment 950
Canadian Standards Association 382
General Entertainment and Music 178
Gianni Cammuso 64
Monika Gurak 41
Strongest Families Institute 33
Liteline Corporation 29
Sony Pictures Television 27
David M. Robinson 27
Les Editions Logitell 27
Muhammad Shaikh 27
Country of origin of copyright applications
Country of origin of copyright applications - Text version
  • Foreign countries: 626
  • Canada: 11,924

Among the copyright applications received from foreign countries

Country of origin Number of applications
Italy 7
Singapore 9
Barbados 10
United Kingdom 18
France 20
Hong Kong 21
India 24
Pakistan 33
China 44
United States of America 364