On July 17, 2015, the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et des Exportations announced the launch of its First Patent program. This program offers financial aid to Quebec-based SMEs wishing to protect their intellectual property assets.

Here is a summary of the program:

  • Valid for patent applications, industrial design applications, and integrated circuit topography applications;
  • Quebec-based companies having 250 employees or fewer are eligible;
  • The financial aid will cover the following:
    • Patentability searches and opinions
    • Validity and infringement opinions;
    • Patent, industrial design, and integrated circuit topography applications in Canada and abroad;
    • Professional services fees; and
    • Filing fees
  • The maximum amount is $25,000 per project, this amount covering up to 50% of expenses that are eligible under the program.

The Ministère's announcement states that acompany applying under the program cannot have previously filed a patent application or industrial design application. However, an official from the Ministère has informed us that a company that recently filed a first application for a patent, industrial design or integrated circuit topography may still be admissible to the program.

Here is the web page for the program (including the form for applying to the program): http://www.economie.gouv.qc.ca/index.php?id=20817.

A French version of this article can be found here.

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