Trademarks
Protect Your Trademarks to Increase Your Brand Value
Brand Name
Words used to identify your business/products.
Slogan
A catchy phrase that differentiates your business.
Logo
A design, which can also include your brand name.
Packaging
A unique mode of packaging your products.
Sound
A sound that distinguishes your products or services.
Combination
Any combination of words, designs, sounds, colours, etc.
Trademark Registration Process
Search
Application
Review
Advertisement
Registration
Application
Searches
WIPO
Examination
Registration
Additional Intellectual Property Services
From strategic advice to the enforcement of your intellectual property rights, our Intellectual Property lawyers will work with you on a range of services to protect your intangible assets at quoted flat fees whenever possible.
Strategic IP Counsel
Oziel Law understands the value of strategically protecting your brand and intellectual property, including through social media and domain name protections.
Copyright Registration
While copyright is automatic in Canada, registration can serve as evidence of such copyright. We help our clients with the copyright registration process.
Patent Management
We have relationships with affiliated patent agents and can help you manage your patent application, prosecution and registration.
Intellectual Property and Licensing Agreements
We ensure your intellectual property and confidentiality are protected in your commercial, confidentiality, non-disclosure and licensing agreements.
Trademark Monitoring
Registering a trademark is only the first step in protecting your brand. We offer Trademark Watch services to monitor your marks and ensure you can identify and act against infringements in a timely manner.
US Registrations
We draft and manage US trademark filings to ensure seamless cross-border protection.
Our Trademark Lawyers and Agents
Lawyers and IP professionals who help businesses search, register and protect their brands in Canada and abroad.
Trademark News and Insights
Practical guidance on choosing, registering and protecting your brand.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trademarks
Do I need to register my trademark in Canada?
Registration is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended. Unregistered (common law) rights are limited to the area where your brand is known and are harder to enforce. A registered trademark gives you exclusive rights across Canada for the registered goods and services, for renewable 10-year terms, and makes it much easier to stop copycats and remove infringing listings online. Read more in What is a trademark?
How long does trademark registration take in Canada?
As of October 2026, CIPO’s published forecast is approximately eight months from filing to first examination for a new trademark application. That is not the total time to registration: examination, any responses to the examiner, advertisement and the opposition period still need to be completed. Objections or an opposition can make the process longer. See CIPO’s current trademark processing times for the latest forecast.
How much does it cost to register a trademark?
For a standard Canadian trademark search and application, a preliminary budget is approximately CAD $2,000–$2,500 in professional fees, plus applicable taxes and government fees. The total depends on the search and application scope and the number of classes of goods and services: CIPO charges a government fee for the first class and an additional fee for each extra class. Substantive examiner responses, oppositions and other additional work are quoted separately. We confirm the scope and estimate before proceeding.
Should I do a trademark search before filing?
Yes. A search checks whether someone already uses or has registered a similar mark for related goods or services. It reduces the risk of a refusal, an opposition or having to rebrand after you've invested in your name and logo.
Can I protect my trademark outside Canada?
Yes. Canada is a member of the Madrid Protocol, so a single international application can cover many countries, including the US, the EU and the UK. Some businesses file directly in key markets instead. Trademark rights are territorial, so plan registrations for the markets where you sell or plan to sell.
What makes a strong trademark?
Distinctive marks, such as invented words or terms unrelated to the product, are the easiest to register and protect. Names that clearly describe the product, its quality or its place of origin are often refused. Choosing a distinctive brand early saves time and cost later. Patents are covered on our patents page.
Can government funding help cover trademark costs?
Eligible businesses may be able to use government-supported IP funding programs, such as ElevateIP or Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON), to cover part of the cost of approved trademark strategy, searches or filings. Coverage depends on the program, your business and sector, the proposed work and available funding; approval may be required before work begins. We can help identify which trademark work fits an eligible IP plan. See our IP funding services to learn more.
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