On October 17, 2018 Canada legalized recreational cannabis, offering opportunities and challenges for businesses in this emerging field. Even before legalization, there was a notable increase in Canadian trademark filings covering cannabis products, services and related accessories. Unfortunately, many of these mark may never be legally used in Canada due to restrictions on brand use,…

More than four years since major amendments to the Canadian Trademarks Act were passed, the government has signaled that implementation is finally expected in the spring of 2019. These changes are the most significant changes since the 1950’s. The following changes are of primary interest: Elimination of use as a requirement for registration. Registration will…