High-tech patents
"High-tech patent" is an informal label, not a separate legal category. It describes an ordinary patent over a technological invention. A Canadian patent gives the owner the exclusive right to make, use and sell the invention generally for 20 years from the filing date, subject to maintenance fees, in exchange for public disclosure of how it works.
How BC law treats it
Patents are federal. They are granted by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office under the Patent Act, RSC 1985 c P-4, and the same rules apply to technology inventions as to any other.
What it means for your business
A BC technology company must file before public disclosure of its invention, subject to limited grace period rules, or risk losing patent rights.
Risks and common mistakes
Disclosing an invention at a demo, pitch or publication more than 12 months before filing destroys novelty in Canada, and any disclosure before filing can bar a patent in many other countries.
For the full explanation, see our entry on Patent.
General information about British Columbia and Canadian law, current to October 2026. It is not legal advice.
