About Crown Copyright and Licensing

Government of Canada information, such as publications, CD-ROMs etc. is protected under Section 12 of the Copyright Act.

We provide information on matters related to Crown copyright and licensing to Canadians, the private sector and to educational institutions, as well as to the public abroad and Government of Canada departments and agencies.

Our Mandate

Crown Copyright and Licensing (CCL) is mandated by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Communications Policy of the Government of Canada. Under this policy, our office is responsible for the administration and protection of copyright of Government of Canada works. Our activities are coordinated with departments and agencies that issue Government of Canada information.

Administering:

• Provide assistance, advice and support to the public and to federal departments and agencies
• Offer information sessions to Government of Canada departments and agencies
• Process and manage requests for permission to use Government of Canada information
• Negotiate and issue licensing agreements for commercial and non-commercial rights

Protecting:

• Investigate potential cases of infringement of Government of Canada information
• Resolve infringement cases with departmental legal counsel
• Protect copyright in works authored by Government of Canada departments and agencies

Yesterday / Today

In the last few years, CCL has seen a significant increase in the number of applications for Crown copyright clearance: the number of applications has doubled since 2000. CCL attributes this increase to the fact that the traditional manner of publishing has greatly evolved in recent years due to electronic publishing and the increased accessibility of Government of Canada material on the web.

Our Team

We are highly skilled professionals trained in all aspects of the administration and management of Crown copyright for Government of Canada information.