News

As we mark Mental Health Week from May 5 to 11, 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of mental health within our profession and our broader community....

At IPIC, we couldn’t do what we do without the support of our volunteers and committee members. The heart of our organization, they play a vital role in advancing our mission, shaping policies, and fostering a vibrant IP community. Their work is building a stronger IP landscape, and we are grateful for the time, insight and energy our volunteers bring. Thank you for being such an essential part of IPIC!

November 14, 2024 Members of the IPIC Patent Practice Subgroup (PPSC) held their regular meeting with representatives from CIPO Patent Branch on November 12, 2024. The...

In the high-pressure realm of intellectual property (IP) law, prioritizing mental health is crucial for both individual well-being and the success of your practice. As IP professionals face complex cases, tight deadlines, and demanding clients, the impact of mental health on performance is significant. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental illness each year, and by age 40, half of Canadians will have encountered a mental health issue. Recognizing that mental health concerns can affect anyone; the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada has curated essential resources to help you proactively safeguard your mental health.

The Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award is presented to a future leader member of IPIC who has made significant contributions to an IPIC Committee, Community, or other substantial IPIC initiative over the past year. This individual will have demonstrated significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC along with the value and future of the IP profession in Canada. IPIC’s Board of Directors is delighted to announce Ahmed Elmallah as the recipient of this year’s Roger T. Hughes Future Leader Award, presented on September 27, 2024.

IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Christopher (Chris) Dejardin is this year's recipient of the Institute’s Shelley Jones Outstanding Contribution Award. Chris received the award on September 27, 2024, for having gone above and beyond expectations of our volunteers at IPIC, for adapting the trademark training to the new exam format, developing significant content and teaching as well as being Chair of the Trademark Agent Training Committee for a second term, among other initiatives.

The IPIC Member of Distinction Award aims to recognize IP professionals who have made a significant contribution to the Institute over at least 20 consecutive years. The individual will have demonstrated significant leadership, commitment, and dedication to increasing awareness of IPIC and the IP profession in Canada. IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Lorne Lipkus is this year’s recipient of the Institute’s Member of Distinction Award.

The Patent and Trademark Institute Education Foundation is a registered charity managed by IPIC that awards prizes to the candidates who obtain the highest marks in the patent and trademark agent exams.

The IPIC Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence recognizes an intellectual property (IP) professional in Canada, who demonstrated excellence in their practice during the past year in the successful prosecution of a landmark patent or trademark property, the prosecution or defense of a legal action where the result has a significant, positive impact on Canadian IP policy, or who has made an extraordinary contribution to the IP profession. IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce Peter Wilcox as the recipient of the Peter W. McBurney Memorial Award for Professional Excellence. Peter Wilcox was presented with this prestigious award on September 27, 2024, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the IP profession.

Members of the IPIC Patent Committee met with representatives from CIPO on August 8, 2024, to discuss the MyCIPO Patents transition. Updates from the meeting include: As of...

The 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 1:00 pm Eastern Time

On Tuesday, June 18, Brian Masse, MP for Windsor West and NDP critic for Canada-US border issues, joined representatives from the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN) to call on the federal government to re-establish CBSA’s commitment to protecting consumers from counterfeit goods. At a joint press conference, they urged immediate action to prioritize the detention of counterfeit items at the border. The decline in interceptions since summer 2023 has increased organized crime activity, making Canada the only G7 country on the 2023 United States Trade Representative Watchlist (USTR).