Guide

Protecting an invention: prepare a Canadian patent application without losing a key date or right

Assess novelty, control public disclosure, prepare the description and claims, then track filing, examination and fees.

Priority

Public disclosure before filing can compromise rights, especially abroad. A poorly drafted application may be impossible to broaden later.

Define the invention

Describe the technical problem, solution, alternatives, drawings and true inventors. Search earlier patents and publications before investing in a filing.

Protect confidentiality

Limit demonstrations, sales and publication until a strategy is chosen. A confidentiality agreement does not replace a patentability analysis.

Prepare the application

The description must enable the invention and the claims define the protection sought. A patent agent can matter when the commercial stakes are real.

Track the full cycle

A filing date is only the start. Monitor missing parts, the examination request, responses to objections, maintenance fees and international deadlines.

File a Canadian patent application — CIPO

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Official sources are linked in the guide. Checked August 29, 2026; confirm current rules, forms and deadlines with the responsible authority.
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