Extension to Copyright Term in Canada

Please note that the general term of copyright protection in Canada will be extended by 20 years, effective on 30 December 2022. 

This means that literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works protected by copyright will be protected for an additional 20 years, as the term will be extended from the life of the author/creator plus 50 years, to the life of the author/creator plus 70 years.

Works that entered the public domain before 30 December 2022 will remain in the public domain. In other words, the works created by authors/creators who died in 1971 entered the public domain in Canada on 01 January 2022, and these works will remain in the public domain.  However, works created by authors/creators who died in 1972 will now be protected by copyright until the end of 2042, entering the public domain in Canada on 01 January 2043.  No new works will enter the public domain in Canada before that time.

The Copyright Office at the University of Alberta will be updating the details of the Canadian Copyright Term and Public Domain Flowchart as soon as we can to reflect this term extension. [Note: The online version of the Flowchart was updated on 06 January 2023]

If you have any questions regarding the term extension or its impact, please contact copyright@ualberta.ca.