Basics

03. How long does copyright last?

How long copyright lasts depends on the country a work originates from and the country a user works in. In Canada, copyright generally lasted for the lifetime of the author, plus 50 years; however, at the end of 2022, the term after an author's death was extended to 70 years to align with current copyright terms in the United States and in many parts of Europe. This general rule can differ depending on factors such as the type of work, the manner of publication, and the date of creation/publication.

08. Does fair dealing cover teaching?

Yes. While fair dealing doesn't specifically mention teaching, it does mention education. The Supreme Court of Canada has also ruled that an instructor may make copies of short excerpts of copyright-protected works and distribute them to students as part of classroom instruction under the fair dealing exception. See the guide to copying for instructional purposes for details about what may be as copied as fair dealing by instructors.

02. What rights does a copyright owner have?

Copyright gives the copyright owner several legal rights, such as the right to copy and translate a work, the right to communicate a work to the public by telecommunication, and the right to assign permission to third parties to circulate the work on the copyright owner's behalf. These rights are qualified by certain exceptions that balance the copyright owner’s interests with the public interest in allowing the use of copyright-protected works for purposes such as education and research.

01. What does copyright cover?

Copyright protects literary, artistic, dramatic and musical works, as well as sound recordings, performances and communication signals. These categories encompass a wide range of materials, from books, articles, posters, manuals, and graphs to CDs, DVDs, software, databases, and websites.

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