Crown Copyright and Licensing

Who is protected by copyright? What is protected? How do I apply for copyright clearance? These are common questions that are answered in this section.

Photocopying, digitizing, downloading, printing from the Internet, email forwarding as well as the performance of music, sound and video recordings are all activities subject to copyright.

Copyright in Canada is a matter of federal jurisdiction and is governed by the Canadian Copyright Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42. The same copyright rules apply all across Canada. What is permitted or prohibited is the same in every province and territory.

The Government of Canada is involved in many facets of copyright law and policy. Crown Copyright and Licensing (CCL) focuses on the rules and guidelines pertaining to copyright in Government of Canada works under Section 12 of the Copyright Act.

This section of the Web site aims to provide both the public and Government of Canada departments and agencies with basic information on Crown copyright as well as its administration and management. Contact CCL if you need additional information.