On January 31, 2011, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) will launch a new PCT-Patent Prosecution Highway (PCT-PPH) pilot program.

The objective of the PCT-PPH pilot project is to allow applicants to obtain their Canadian patent more rapidly and more efficiently by significantly accelerating examination. The pilot is limited to PCT work products established by CIPO as the International Searching Authority (ISA) and/or the International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA). CIPO will process requests for advanced prosecution under the PCT-PPH project free of charge. CIPO's goal is to provide a first action for qualifying requests within 90 days.

CIPO also announced that, effective January 29, 2011, the PPH pilot project with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), will be replaced by a PPH agreement for an indeterminate period.