On June 10, 2026, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) published “What we heard: CIPO SME Roundtables 2025”, a report on what small and medium-sized businesses say about protecting their intellectual property (IP) in Canada.

Based on discussions that CIPO held with 53 businesses across six Canadian cities in early 2025, the report identifies four common barriers: cost, slow timelines, complexity, and limited IP knowledge. Businesses described patent protection as expensive and often slower than the life of the product it protects, and many said they find the system difficult to navigate without professional help.

Participants offered recommendations aimed at making IP more accessible, including clearer online guidance, better IP education, and fee structures better suited to smaller businesses. CIPO says the feedback will help shape its 2026–2031 Business Strategy and points to steps already underway, such as a 2026 review of its fees.

For business owners, the report is a useful signal of the pain points CIPO has acknowledged and where changes may be coming. To read the full report, please visit here.