Calfee Connections

To compensate for delays in the issuance of Canadian patents, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has, as of December 2, 2025, implemented a Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) system. The likelihood that a patent application qualifies for any term adjustment depends on several factors, though certain strategies can be implemented by the applicant to increase that likelihood.

Imagine a scenario where an American manufacturing company is approached by a potential international customer/seller of machinery claiming they know the best way to avoid either party paying heavy tariffs. Right away there are several red flags indicating this could be a potential high-risk transaction. Luckily, in this recent, real-life situation, the company knew to put a call in to their legal counsel to investigate further.