Canadian Patent Numbers, 1869-2014 (2nd Series)

Following the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, the power to grant patents was vested in the federal government. Provinces repealed their patent statutes and sent their patent records to Ottawa, the new national capital. The last patent regis­tered under provincial statute issued in 1871.The Patent Act of 1869 established the second patent number series. The Canadian Patent Office issued the first Canadian patent, No. 1, on August 18, 1869.

More than a century later, the Patent Act of 1989 introduced several significant changes including the publication of pending applications. Patent applications filed on or after October 1, 1989 are assigned serial numbers starting with 2,000,001. Published applications and issued patents are identified by their application number. However, the old number series is still used for patents based on applications filed prior to October 1, 1989, a handful of which issue each year.

Table 1. Canadian Patent Numbers, 1869-2014 (2nd Series)