IP changes will effect universities and small firms

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has announced minor changes to Canada's IP regime that impact on universities and small- and medium-sized companies. The regulatory changes offer qualifying universities and firms $3,000 in relief over the life of a patent by applying at the small entity level. The changes also provide a relief mechanism for regular-sized firms that mistakenly apply at the small entity level. The changes were introduced under the government's Smart Regulation and Paperwork Burden Reduction Initiative.