(Ottawa) No new books or plays will be added to the public domain in Canada until 2043, as the federal government extended the term of copyright protection by 20 years shortly before the end of 2022.
Posted at 4:27pm
Until December 30, copyright protection applied to original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works during the artist’s lifetime plus 50 years after his death.
From that date, however, the new regulations apply during the lifetime of the artist and 70 years after his death.
This change allows Canada to honor a commitment made under the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement and ensures that the same rule applies in Canada as in the United States, where the 70-year deadline is exceeded the artist’s death has been in effect since 1998.
This means that artistic works that could be republished or reused without permission since January 1 receive an additional 20 years of protection.
For example, copyright protection for some of the writings of former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, who died in December 1972, does not expire until January 1, 2043.