The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)'s 2021−2022 Annual Report was tabled in Parliament on June 13, 2023. The report highlights CIPO's achievements from the 2021−2022 fiscal year.

During this time, CIPO launched new initiatives and resources to modernize its client experience. In 2021, CIPO became one of the first intellectual property (IP) offices in the world to issue fully electronic patents and introduced new tools for entrepreneurs such as the Canadian IP Voices podcast. It also continued to collaborate with IP professionals, partnering with leading IP organizations in Canada to create the IP Village and working with the Centre for International Governance Innovation to host the 5th Annual IP Data & Research Conference.

Quotes

"Fiscal year 2021–2022 marked the last year of CIPO's 2017–2022 Business Strategy. It was a year to take stock and celebrate our successes, but also to ponder the future. The pandemic has shaped our collective behaviours and expectations and has served as an accelerator for technological and socio‑economic change that was already in motion. CIPO staff have adapted to a remote work environment that is supported by technology and tools that allow them to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. Clients have come to count on online services and transactions that are fast, seamless, and on-demand. As we concluded the final year of our 2017–2022 Business Strategy, the changes to our operating environment have set the backdrop to establish new priorities for the next five years and bring CIPO into the future."

Konstantinos Georgaras, Commissioner of Patents, Registrar of Trademarks and Chief Executive Officer

Quick facts

CIPO made great strides to provide convenient and seamless e-services, putting clients at the heart of service improvements. In April 2021, CIPO became one of the first IP offices in the world to issue entirely electronic patents, which essentially means that clients who have been granted a Canadian patent can now download their documents in electronic format rather than receiving a paper copy.

There was an overall growth in IP applications at CIPO, including a 7% increase in patent applications, 5% increase in trademark applications, and 11% increase in industrial design applications.

CIPO partnered with leading IP organizations in Canada to create the IP Village, an initiative to help Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises better understand, utilize and leverage IP.

CIPO implemented a recovery plan to increase productivity and improve pendency at all stages of the trademark registration process, to address a growing inventory of trademark applications and reduce turnaround times.

In June 2021, the College of Patent Agent and Trademark Agents was established to regulate the patent and trademark agent profession.

CIPO expanded its digital services to include new e-learning modules, factsheets, pre-recorded videos and a podcast series, to both modernize and extend the reach of its IP awareness and education services. 

As pandemic and travel restrictions persisted in 2021–2022, CIPO made the most of virtual tools to engage and collaborate with key international stakeholders, share best practices, and promote Canadian IP interests. 

Aiming to become a more data-driven organization, CIPO continued to grow its evidence base and enhance its data stewardship and governance. In collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada, CIPO published a report titled Patenting to Fight Pandemics, bringing to light Canadian patented inventions in the fields of therapeutics and vaccine development, rapid detection and diagnosis, and digital health.

Source: CIPO