Copyright guide

Copyright basics - Duration of copyright

As of December 30, 2022, unless an exception applies, the length of copyright in Canada is seventy (70) years after the death of the author. This change in duration does not affect works that have already entered the public domain in Canada. After copyright expires, a work becomes part of the public domain and may be freely copied and distributed. However, the Copyright Act provides for different copyright length for some types of works such as sound recordings, photographs, films, and anonymous works.