In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent to its announcement made on March 17, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) announced on March 27, 2020, and then again on April 27, 2020 and May 13, 2020, to "designate" all days in the period of time beginning on March 16, 2020 and ending on May 29, 2020 as "designated days". Thus, all deadlines for patents, trademarks and industrial designs falling in the period between March 16, 2020 and May 29, 2020 now have been extended to June 1, 2020 (May 30 and 31 being Saturday and Sunday). CIPO indicated that if the circumstances that led to the designation of these days continue, the deadlines may be further extended.
It should be noted that the deadlines extended are those fixed under Canada's Patent Act, Trademarks Act and Industrial Design Act for doing anything before CIPO. Thus, for example, a deadline to file a PCT application with CIPO as receiving office is not affected.
Originally published May 14, 2020.
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