Canada

Case summaries and articles about intellectual property that are relevant to Canada.

December 9, 2019
The word blockchain surrounded by symbols of bitcoin, finances, mobile devices, money, computer networks.

Patenting Blockchain Technologies

Is patenting blockchain possible? Do patents detract from the decentralization of blockchain? This article explains the ins and outs of blockchain patents.
December 5, 2019
Photo of PCK's Andrew Currier and Jillian Carter with youth participants and organizers at the IP workshop for Roots Community Services in Brampton Ontario

PCK Presents IP Workshop to Brampton Youth

PCK's Andrew Currier and Jillian Carter had the pleasure of presenting a workshop on intellectual property law for Roots Community Services in Brampton.
December 2, 2019
Photo of a laptop in the dark with the keyboard illuminated by the screen

TekSavvy Appeals Canada’s First Site-Blocking Order

2019 FC 1432 - TekSavvy appeals a recent site-blocking order against an illegitimate streaming service, claiming the order contravenes freedom of expression.
November 25, 2019
Pharmacist in a white lab coat, holding bottles of pharmaceuticals.

Patent Strategy & Potential Changes to Patented Medicine Regulations & Drug Pricing Legislation

The rising cost of patented medicines is an important topic in the United States and Canada. In the United States, the White House is promising to...
October 28, 2019
Flax seeds (or linseeds)

Foreign Prosecution History is Now Admissible in “Extraordinary Circumstances”

2019 FC 1233 – In a dispute over flax seeds, Canada's Federal Court says foreign prosecution history may be admissible under the new s. 53.1 of the Patent Act.
September 13, 2019
Fibre optic cable photographed in the dark

Patent Specification Interpreted as Admission of Common General Knowledge

2019 FC 1065 – Canada's Federal Court ruled that two fiber optics patents were obvious in light of an admission made in the background sections.
August 30, 2019
Woman rubs medicinal cream on her skin

Canadian Drug Pricing Regulator Ordered to Reconsider Differin

2019 FCA 196 – In an ongoing dispute between the PMPRB and Galderma, the FCA says the drug pricing regulator erred in its interpretation of the law.
May 21, 2019
T. Andrew Currier

PCK’s Andrew Currier Recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2019

As a result of the 2018 Lexpert Survey, Andrew was selected for this year’s directory. “There is no more credible source than Lexpert. Now in its […]
April 16, 2019
Photograph of stacks of coins

Canada Federal Court of Appeal Affirms Punitive Damages Award

2019 FCA 29 - Canada's FCA refuses to intervene in trial judge's decision with respect to punitive damages.
April 2, 2019
Coleen Morrison

Coleen Morrison Recognized by Who’s Who Legal: Trademarks 2019

PCK's Coleen Morrison is recognized by Who's Who Legal.
January 11, 2019

Practical Strategies for Canadian Trademark Applicants from Now until June 17, 2019 when Canada’s new Trademark Law Takes Effect

Strategies for Trademark Applicants from now until the new Trademark Law takes effect in June 2019
November 1, 2018

How Canadian Trademark Law Will be Impacted by Bill C-86

Bill C-86 - an overview on its impacts on Canadian trademark law.
August 14, 2018
Canadian Patent Law Textbook by Perry and Currier. Third Edition

Canadian Patent Law, 3rd Edition Book Launch

PCK IP is pleased to announce the launch of Canadian Patent Law, 3rd Edition.
October 24, 2017

Federal Court Adjourns Motion for Confidentiality Order

2017 FC 548 - In this application for judicial review over s. 5 of the PM(NOC) Regulations, the FC agreed with the AG who argued that since another innovator also had patents listed on the Patent Register pertaining to products to which Innovator Company made comparisons, the other innovator was a necessary respondent to the application.
September 27, 2017
Coleen Morrison

Room for doubt?

CIPO has provided some insight to efforts in advance of the implementation of changes to the Canadian trademark system. The actions are comforting even if the statistics suggest there may be cause for concern in respect of recent Examination quality.
June 20, 2017

FC Finds Torque Anchor Patents Invalid or Not Infringed and Violation of Section 7(a) of Trade-marks Act

2016 FC 1279 - The FC found that API violated section 7(a) of the Trade-marks Act by making false or misleading statements tending to discredit the business, goods, or services of Excalibre, when it sent cease and desist letters to some of Excalibre’s customers.
April 25, 2017

Federal Court finds foreign, non-exclusive licensee entitled to damages

2016 FC 593 - The FC awarded Janssen Canada and Janssen US almost $19 million in total damages for Teva's infringement of a Japanese entity's patent, for which Janssen US had never even exercised its licence in Canada.
March 23, 2017

Canadian 2017 Budget Plan: A Focus on Innovation and IP

2017 Budget Plan - The Canadian Federal Government announced its Budget Plan for 2017, which proposes a number of positive changes to the Canadian intellectual property regime.
April 22, 2016

Federal Court Finds “Rigidification” Patent to be Sufficient but Obvious

2015 FC 997 - The FC found that the invention was merely to add a polymer to the slurry, which was known in the prior art, and to continue to do so until the slurry rigidified. The Court found this solution to be obvious to try, and sufficiently disclosed, even though the meaning of “rigidify” was never made clear.
April 13, 2015

A Tale of Two Startup Superclusters

Why is it that worldwide rankings of startup hubs group together a handful of population centres in Silicon Valley amounting to almost 7.5 million people, but Waterloo and Toronto, with only 124,600 and 5.8 million people respectively, and with equally as much mixing of talent between them, are always ranked separately and pitted against each other as competitors? Toronto and Waterloo are producing some of the most innovative new companies of the future. Fostering talent in both regions and bringing great ideas and great minds together can only work to our mutual benefit and ability to tackle the world scene. Geography should be no object.