Recordal of Trade-Marks Licences in Canada
1
RECORDALOFTRADE-MARKSLICENCESINCANADA
LaurentCarrière*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,
L.L.P.
Lawyers,PatentandTrademarkAgents
CentreCDPCapital
1001Square-Victoria–BlocE–8thFloor
Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH2Z2B7
Tel.(514)9876242–Fax(514)8457874
www.robic.ca–info@robic.com
TheTrade-marksOfficenowrecords,sinceApril1996,licenceagreementsand
documentsterminatinglicenceagreements,withrespecttoregisteredtrade-
marks.
Thelicenceagreementorthedocumentcancellingalicenceisplacedon
theOffice’strade-markfile,andanexplanatorynoteisinscribedonthe
register,uponreceiptbytheOfficeoftheprescribedfee(25$permark).
However,theOfficeadvisesthatinsodoing,ittakesnopositionwithrespect
totheeffectoftherecordaloflicenceagreementsanddocuments
terminatinglicenceagreements.
BeforeJune9,1993,theTrade-marksActincludedprovisionsontherecordal
ofregisteredusers,i.e.entitiesorpersonstowhomthetrade-markownerhad
permitteduseofthetrade-mark.The1993amendmentstotheActrepealed
theregisteredusersystemandreplaceditwiththeconceptofuseunder
licence,withoutnecessityofregistration.
Section50oftheActprovidestheparametersofuseunderlicencewhichis
deemedtobenefittheregisteredowner:authorization,designationofthe
countrycoveredbythelicence,directorindirectcontrolbytheownerofthe
characterorqualityofthewaresorservices.Section50(2)alsoprovidesthat
totheextentthatpublicnoticeisgivenofthefactthattheuseofatrade-
markisalicenseduse,andoftheidentityoftheowner,alicenceshallbe
presumedtoexist.
Section50,whichdoesnotimposeformalrequirementsupontheownerand
hislicensee,withrespecttotheiragreement,isnotmodifiedbytheTrade-
marksOffice’snewadministrativepolicyontherecordaloflicence
agreementsanddocumentsterminatinglicenceagreements.Thisrecordalis