CPATA’s By-laws require licensees to provide certain information to CPATA annually. After a public consultation in fall 2024, CPATA added additional questions to the mandatory Annual Licensee Report and has launched an optional Demographic Survey, for licensees to complete once annually starting with the 2025 renewal process.
This data will help CPATA understand the IP services landscape in Canada and make evidence-based regulatory policy decisions. The questions and approach will continue to be fine-tuned in future years.
Expanded Annual Licensee Report (Mandatory)
The Annual Licensee Report collects certain demographic and practice information pursuant to CPATA’s By-laws. These questions help CPATA:
- maintain accurate personal and work information in the Public Register;
- gather data necessary for understanding the IP services landscape in Canada; and
- confirm that licensees are meeting their obligations around insurance, Canadian residency and Section 73 of the By-laws.
Accurate and complete data about the practice contexts of practitioners, their areas of specialization and the kinds of work they frequently undertake will help CPATA understand IP service provision trends over time and will eventually inform policy decisions in multiple areas.
Demographic Survey (Optional)
Licensees will also have the option of completing a voluntary Demographic Survey. Questions include, for example, information about age, geographic location, education, race and gender. By collecting and analyzing demographic data, CPATA can understand trends in the patent agent and trademark agent professions over time, with the ultimate goal of guiding policy in key areas. CPATA will only have access to data collected through this survey in aggregate form.
Privacy
CPATA takes the confidentiality and privacy of licensees seriously. The information provided by licensees in either the Annual Licensee Report or the Demographic Survey is collected under the authority of CPATA’s By-laws and the Privacy Act. The College Privacy Statement outlines more information on a licensee’s privacy practices and privacy rights. CPATA will only have access to data collected through the optional Demongraphic Survey in aggregate form. CPATA may share data collected through the Annual Licensee Report or the Demographic Survey publicly in aggregate form. If you have any questions about this, please contact priv@cpata-cabamc.ca.
Questions
Anyone who has questions about the Annual Licensee Report or Demographic Survey can contact CPATA.
