If you're an entrepreneur, you know that protecting your intellectual property should be high on your list when it comes to safeguarding your company. However, as a successful business owner, you also know the steps and costs of filing a trademark in the CA can be expensive and arduous.
This conundrum can be even more overwhelming for new business owners who want to do everything possible to minimize the price of securing trademarks. They try to handle complicated tasks like trademark registration on their own, which can be a big mistake - especially when juggling the day-to-day tasks of running a business. You may be thinking, "But what about those set-it-and-forget-it services you can find online? All you have to do is plug in your info, and you're done." Using pre-made templates for trademark filing can be tempting, but doing so can leave you with inadequate protection and hurt you in the long run.
So, what is the easiest, most cost-effective route to consider that also minimizes legal risk? The truth is, before you spend money on an online filing service, it's best to consult with a trademark attorney working with clients in Gatineau, Quebec.
At Sausser Summers, PC, our experienced trademark attorneys can help you understand the trademark process step by step. We can even help with CA trademark filing, CA trademark responses, and CA trademark renewals at a price you can actually afford. That way, you can make an informed decision regarding your business without having to break the bank.
Hiring an attorney can be a daunting task, but at Sausser Summers, PC, our goal is to make the process as simple and seamless as possible for you. That's why we offer a straightforward checkout service. First, you choose your flat fee trademark service and fill out a short questionnaire. Then, we will contact you within 24 hours to discuss the details of our service. From there, one of our experienced trademark attorneys will get to work on your behalf.
Using a trademark attorney for filing in Gatineau, Quebec, can significantly increase your chances of a successful registration. The CA government recommends hiring a trademark attorney to help with your application, and our team of trademark lawyers is dedicated to meeting your needs. In fact, we help ensure your application is filed correctly the first time so you can get on with your life and avoid legal risks.
At Sausser Summers, PC, we work closely with our clients to understand their needs and provide them with sound professional advice. We never offer incomplete services, such as simply filing for registration, because that would leave you open to legal risks. You can rely on us to handle your intellectual property matters, and our flat fee services can help protect your business in a simple, straightforward, and affordable way. It's really that simple.
In terms of filing a CA trademark, we provide an easy three-step process to protect your intellectual property:
1. You provide your trademark info to our team via an online form.
2. Our team performs a comprehensive trademark search. This search ensures that no other marks will prevent you from registering your trademark in the CA Once performed, we'll send you a legal opinion letter that details our findings.
3. Sausser Summers, PC, files your CA trademark application. We are then listed as your Attorney of Record on file. From there, we'll provide ongoing updates regarding the status of your trademark as it works through the registration process.
The bottom line? At Sausser Summers, PC, we give both new and seasoned business owners an easy, efficient, cost-effective way to protect the one asset that sets them apart from others: their name.
At Sausser Summers, PC, we give both new and seasoned business owners an easy, efficient, cost-effective way to protect the one asset that sets them apart from others: their name.
It's not necessary to be a lawyer in order to apply for a trademark. Anyone can submit a trademark application to the CA Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). However, registering a trademark involves more than just filling out a form. It's essential to conduct thorough research, accurately identify and clearly explain your trademark to ensure it receives adequate protection. And even after securing a trademark, you've got to monitor it consistently to make sure it's free from infringement.
The big takeaway here is that it's always a good idea to work with a trademark attorney to protect the intellectual property that you've worked so hard to establish. According to the Wall Street Journal, applicants are approximately 50% more likely to secure their trademark than people who file applications on their own. If your trademark application is rejected by the USPTO, you will need to revise and refile it, incurring additional filing fees. To avoid delays and extra costs, it is best to have a trademark lawyer help you get it right the first time.
Great trademark attorneys (like those you'll find at Sausser Summers, PC) will help with every step of filing and enforcing your trademark. Some additional benefits include the following:
Check to see if your proposed trademark is registered by another entity.
Conduct research to see if another business is using the trademark for which you're applying.
Provide advice and guidance on the strength of your trademark.
Draft and submit your trademark applications and application revisions.
Advice and guidance regarding trademark maintenance and protection.
Monitor the market for unauthorized use of your trademark.
Trademark enforcement to protect you against infringement.
Curious whether our trademark attorney services are right for you and your business? Contact Sausser Summer, PC, today. Let's talk about what you need, and how we can help.
Online services, can provide you with basic assistance in filing your trademark. However, they will never be a legitimate substitute for an experienced trademark attorney helping clients in Gatineau, Quebec.
Although online filing services offer a step-by-step process, they take a one-size-fits-all approach to preparing legal documents. Even their advanced service only provides basic attorney assistance in completing your paperwork and helping with minor roadblocks. Online filing services' disclaimer highlights the many limitations of its services, including the fact that communications are not protected by attorney-client privilege. In addition, online filing services cannot provide advice, explanations, opinions, recommendations, or any kind of legal guidance on possible legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection of forms or strategies.
In other words, online filing services can offer you the necessary forms and point you in the right direction, but they cannot customize their services to your specific needs or help you with serious complications that may arise.
For the most comprehensive trademark service and protection, it's always wise to work with highly rated trademark lawyers, like you'll find at Sausser Summers, PC.
Trademarks in the CA can last indefinitely, but did you know that clients in Gatineau, Quebec can file a trademark online, only to lose protection in some circumstances? Trademarks differ from patents and copyrights in that they do not have an expiration date. However, to prevent the cancellation of a trademark, you must maintain it. To ensure that your trademark remains protected, you must actively use it in commerce and renew it with the USPTO every ten years.
The Lanham Act tells us that "use in commerce" is the legitimate use of a trademark in the ordinary course of trade. In other words, you cannot register a trademark solely to reserve the rights to it in the future. In most cases, a trademark must be used continuously in connection with the goods or services it is registered for.
Trademarks are registered with the USPTO and generally need to be renewed every ten years. However, there is one crucial exception that you should be aware of. Within the first ten years of owning a trademark, you must file for renewal between the fifth and sixth year from the date of your initial registration.
During this renewal period, you are required to submit a Section 8 declaration, a specimen that shows how the mark is being used, and pay the required fee. You can also apply for Section 15 Incontestability status, which can strengthen your trademark rights. This application, although not mandatory, can make it harder for others to challenge your ownership of the mark.
After the first renewal, which falls between the fifth and sixth year of ownership, the next renewal filing is due between the ninth and tenth year, and then every tenth year thereafter. In the ninth year you will need to file a Section 8 declaration, attesting to your use of the mark or excusable nonuse. You've also got to file a Section 9 renewal application before the end of the tenth year to keep your registration active.
It is worth noting that the USPTO provides a six-month grace period if you fail to renew your mark within the required time frame, but it is best not to rely on it. If you don't file within the grace period time limits, the USPTO will cancel and expire your mark.
By hiring trademark attorneys helping clients in Gatineau, Quebec, you can avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that can arise and cause you to lose your rights to the mark that represents it.
In the event that you stop using your trademark and have no plans to resume using it in commerce, it may be considered abandoned by the USPTO. This could result in the loss of your protective rights to the mark. Typically, a trademark is assumed to be abandoned if it has not been used for three years. However, you may be able to refute this presumption by providing evidence that you intend to use the mark again in the future.
In addition to trademark abandonment, you should also be wary of improper licensing. It's important to remember that once you allow someone else to use your trademark, you must keep an eye on how they use it. You should monitor the products or services that feature your trademark to ensure that they meet consumers' expectations in terms of quality. Failure to do so can lead to a "naked" trademark license and the loss of your protective trademark rights.
If you're wondering how you can avoid refiling your trademark, the answer is simple: file it correctly the first time around. Filing a trademark isn't inherently difficult, but when doing so, it's very important that certain aspects are filled out accurately in your application. If any information is missing or incorrect, the trademark application may be considered "void ab initio" or void from the beginning, requiring you to file again.
To avoid this, make sure that the information you provide in the application is accurate and complete, including the ownership of the trademark. For instance, if a corporation has multiple shareholders, it should not file under the President's personal name. The rightful owner should be the one/entity that ultimately controls the trademark and the associated goods/services.
It is also important to ensure that the goods and/or services description is precise. For example, if you sell electronic products, you should not file for research and development services despite having a research and development department. The goods/services description should reflect the goods/services you offer to customers, not the departments within your business.
Additionally, providing accurate dates of first use when filing for a trademark is crucial. The USPTO requires two dates to be specified - the date of first use anywhere and the date of first use in interstate commerce. Contact our trademark law office today to learn more about having accurate dates on your filing paperwork.
At Sausser Summers, PC, we often get questions about how to distinguish run-of-the-mill consultants and others from great trademark attorneys. After all - when you're looking for an attorney to file or prosecute your business trademark, you should know their qualifications. Here are three ways you can separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff when it comes to trademark attorneys.
It's crucial to seek legal advice from a licensed trademark lawyer rather than relying on advice from non-professionals like trademark consultants. The USPTO even recommends hiring an attorney to help with the trademark process. Although trademark consultants may provide advice on trademark availability or name marketability, they cannot file the trademark for you or offer legal advice. According to the Rules of Practicing in trademark cases, "Individuals who are not attorneys are not recognized to practice before the Office in trademark matters." This rule applies to individuals who assist trademark applicants.
When searching for a trademark attorney, it's important to find someone with a strong background in trademark law. Look for an attorney who specializes in this area and has significant experience handling trademark-related cases. Avoid lawyers who don't have expertise in this field, as they may not be able to provide the guidance and support you need.
Ensure your attorney provides updates throughout the trademark registration process to avoid missing deadlines, including responding to any Office actions within six months. Failure to do so can result in trademark abandonment. The USPTO will only correspond with the listed attorney of record, so make sure your attorney keeps you informed.
In summary:
Building your brand and gaining recognition for it is a significant achievement, and it's important to protect it. However, there are certain pitfalls and mistakes that can arise, causing you to lose your rights to the mark that represents it. By working with knowledgeable trademark attorneys, you can avoid these issues and file your trademark successfully.
With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Sausser Summers, PC, offers comprehensive guidance, strategic advice, and reliable representation for a variety of trademark matters. Our attorneys have years of real-world experience and, having registered countless trademarks with the USPTO, provide our clients with individualized representation when they need it most.
If you're looking for skilled, adept, and experienced counsel, look no further than our trademark law firm. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation and learn how we can help you safeguard your brand.
A critical freezing rainstorm could paralyze much of western Quebec Wednesday into Thursday under the worst-case scenario, according to orange-level weather alerts for the Ottawa-Gatineau area.Environment Canada is forecasting two to three centimetres of freezing rain starting around 6 a.m. Wednesday for an area from Gatineau north to Maniwaki and east to the Montreal area.Prolonged outages and significant property damage is expected, according to Environment Canada. It recommends avoiding non-essential travel.The City o...
A critical freezing rainstorm could paralyze much of western Quebec Wednesday into Thursday under the worst-case scenario, according to orange-level weather alerts for the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
Environment Canada is forecasting two to three centimetres of freezing rain starting around 6 a.m. Wednesday for an area from Gatineau north to Maniwaki and east to the Montreal area.
Prolonged outages and significant property damage is expected, according to Environment Canada. It recommends avoiding non-essential travel.
The City of Gatineau said freezing rain is expected to be at its worst between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday.
WATCH | The possible timing of the storm:
The rest of western Quebec and northern eastern Ontario could get one or two centimetres of freezing rain under their warnings. That amount of freezing rain falling does not necessarily mean that's how much ice will build up, according to Environment Canada.
Those parts of the Outaouais, including communities such as Shawville and Fort-Coulonge, will likely see power outages. People there should think about doing non-essential travel on a different day.
Eastern Ontario's warning, which covers communities north of Highway 7, then north of the St. Lawrence River further east until it brings in Cornwall, says more of a mix of rain and freezing rain could end up falling, especially for areas further south.
People there will likely see outages and property damage, Environment Canada said. People should be careful if they choose to travel.
The storm could be similar to the April 2023 ice storm that hit the area, according to Eric Tomlinson, an Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist.
Hundreds of thousands of local customers lost power in that storm, which Hydro Ottawa described as the worst ice storm in the area since 1998.
Communities south of those warnings should get 20 to 40 millimetres of rain.
Areas north and east of Kingston could see precipitation change back and forth between rain and freezing rain.
There is a yellow-level freezing rain warning just south of the orange warning, affecting communities such as Brockville and Tweed.
Just south of that less severe freezing rain warning is a rainfall warning for Mallorytown and communities to its west such as Belleville and Kingston.
There are spring flood alerts in each of eastern Ontario's six conservation authorities. They generally say water levels are expected to rise and some local flooding may happen, especially in low-lying or flood-prone areas.
David Ellingwood, general manager of Cataraqui Conservation, said "maple syrup weather," with warm days and cold nights, is ideal for this time of year because it allows the snowpack to melt slowly.
But that hasn't been the case so far. Rain and high temperatures have already swollen local waterways and what's coming will be more than a typical spring shower, he explained.
"Forty millimeters is a good amount of rain any time of the year," said Ellingwood, adding that people should move any belongings stored near creeks or rivers to high ground and stay away themselves from shorelines.
"The banks are slippery," he said. "[There] can still be ice and snow near them, and the water this time of year is cold and fast and very dangerous. So stay back."
Temperatures are expected to be around the freezing mark in Ottawa-Gatineau from Tuesday night until Thursday.
Orange warnings are in the middle of Environment Canada's three-colour scale. They signal uncommonly severe weather likely to cause significant disruption.
Tomlinson, the meteorologist, said the 1998 ice storm would be an example of a red-level event.
Thousands of students in the Outaouais region will be off school Wednesday due to the predicted ice storm.
Schools in the four Outaouais school service centres — Draveurs, Portages-de-l’Outaouais, Cœur-des-Vallées, and Hauts-Bois-de-l’Outaouais — will be closed Wednesday.
Schools in the Western Québec School Board will also be closed on Wednesday.
Some private schools in the region have also announced the closure of their facilities on Wednesday. This includes Collège St-Joseph in Hull, Collège Saint-Alexandre, and the Montessori School in Chelsea.
The City of Ottawa recommends preparing for extreme weather by having emergency supplies, such as non-perishable food and batteries, to cover three days.
Vehicles should have supplies such as booster cables and a battery pack, first aid kit, sand or kitty litter for traction, a flashlight and blankets.
There are steps to take to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
UPDATE | Gatineau lifted the boil water advisory the morning of March 13, 2026. People in affected buildings are asked to run all their faucets for one minute to clear them.Power outages after Wednesday's freezing rain closed several schools, affected drinking water in Gatineau and left tens of thousands of customers in the dark Thursday morning.A precautionary boil water advisory is in place for about 77,000 residents in part of the Gatineau sector after a treatment plant briefly lost power. The advis...
UPDATE | Gatineau lifted the boil water advisory the morning of March 13, 2026. People in affected buildings are asked to run all their faucets for one minute to clear them.
Power outages after Wednesday's freezing rain closed several schools, affected drinking water in Gatineau and left tens of thousands of customers in the dark Thursday morning.
A precautionary boil water advisory is in place for about 77,000 residents in part of the Gatineau sector after a treatment plant briefly lost power. The advisory had ended for parts of Hull.
Gatineau is opening the Centre sportif Robert-Rochon on rue de l'Aréna for people to charge devices, shower and get water until 10 p.m.
People can also access power and water at the Bernard-Lonergan library and Centre communautaire et culturel de Buckingham, and can shower at the Centre sportif de Gatineau or Centre aquatique Paul-Pelletier.
Cantley's Centre communautaire multifonctionnel on chemin des Étoiles is also open for people whose homes have lost power, said Mayor Nathalie Bélisle.
As of late Thursday afternoon, fewer than 2,000 Hydro-Québec customers in the Outaouais had lost power, mostly in and around Gatineau and around Kazabazua. That's down from about 30,000 earlier Thursday morning.
Hydro-Québec told Radio-Canada that residents of the municipalities of Mansfield-et-Pontefract, Île-du-Grand-Calumet, and Otter Lake will have to wait until Friday for power to be restored.
WATCH | How the storm looked Wednesday:
An orange-level freezing rain warning covered the Ottawa-Gatineau area Wednesday, with about 23 millimetres of mixed precipitation at the Ottawa International Airport and about 27 millimetres in Maniwaki.
All western Quebec schools were closed Wednesday.
All Centre de services scolaire des Draveurs facilities are closed Thursday.
The Centre de services scolaire au Cœur-des-Vallées closures include écoles Grands-Pins, Hormisdas-Gamelin, Monseigneur Charbonneau, Quatre-Vents, Sacré-Cœur and Saint-Michel.
The Hauts-Bois-de-l'Outaouais school service centre has closed its pavilion Sainte-Marie in Otter Lake and the Western Québec School Board has closed the Buckingham Elementary School.
Outages are also closing some facilities for local health agency CISSSO, including the Cantley, Otter Lake and Vallée-de-la Lièvre community service centres (CLSCs).
Gatineau's Centre de services de Masson-Angers and Centre aquatique Lucien-Houle are closed.
The Camp Fortune ski resort closed again Thursday, citing a lack of power.
Tramway future in perilQuebec’s Minister of transport and sustainable mobility Jonatan Julien announced the provincial government is shifting the responsibility of the Tramway project to Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ), a government agency mandated to optimize transportation projects. Quebec says MIQ will update the analyses that have been completed and make changes to ensure “a responsible financial framework”.“Mobilité Infra Québec welcomes the mandate entrusted to it by the g...
Quebec’s Minister of transport and sustainable mobility Jonatan Julien announced the provincial government is shifting the responsibility of the Tramway project to Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ), a government agency mandated to optimize transportation projects. Quebec says MIQ will update the analyses that have been completed and make changes to ensure “a responsible financial framework”.
“Mobilité Infra Québec welcomes the mandate entrusted to it by the government for the greater Gatineau region,” said Renée Amilcar, President and CEO of MIQ. “In close collaboration with the City of Gatineau and the Société de transport de l'Outaouais, we will fully contribute our shared expertise to analyze the work done, examine possible options, and support the development of a structuring public transit project, responsible and adapted to the needs of citizens.”
On the same day, February 17, Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette and Edmond Leclerc, President of the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) board of directors held a press conference to address the news. They confirmed that Quebec was pulling their funding for the project, which means a $163.5 million loss for the Outaouais region. The Quebec government had committed to financing 60% of the cost over a year and a half ago. The federal government was to cover the remaining 40% of the cost.
The Tramway project was slated for Aylmer to reduce traffic and provide reliable public transit connecting the East and West sides of the city. Gatineau and the STO have been preparing for the project over the last few years, putting a project office together, getting necessary studies together, and approving development projects to densify the neighbourhoods near the planned tramway lines.
“What angers me the most is that the money will not come back to the people of Gatineau, and Outaouais will be used to finance public transport projects elsewhere in Quebec. It's outrageous, and it's inadmissible,” said Marquis-Bissonnette.
For the STO, this decision means they are forced to shut down their tramway project office. The direct result is that 50 employees' jobs will be terminated. The ministry of Transportable and sustainability mobility will reimburse any outstanding costs for the STO’s tramway office.
The mayor says that MIQ will evaluate the work that has been done by the STO office and come to the same conclusion — that the solution to the traffic problem in the west of Gatineau is the tramway, highlighting that this decision is a waste of money, time, and resources.
“For Aylmer, it’s a big deal. Every morning, residents face great mobility needs. West-east travel is arduous. This decision impacts the mobility of thousands of people. It also impacts our ability to meet our climate plan objectives for GHG reduction as well as our urbanization goals,” said Mitigomijokan councillor and Vice-Chair of the STO Board of Directors Rachel M. Deslauriers.
The project received mixed reactions for residents, with many supporting the infrastructure project and others voicing their discontent. During the February 17 Gatineau council meeting, some residents suggested alternatives for the project, glad to hear it might not be realized, while others called Quebec’s decision shameful and disrespectful.
Many other elected officials have spoken out on the subject, such as Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull-Aylmer, who said, “What’s happening is simple: the provincial government is treating us, once again, like a second-rate region. Outaouais is not an afterthought; it’s a pivotal part of Quebec. I call on the Quebec Government to treat us as such.”
André Fortin, Member of the National Assembly for the Pontiac, called out the CAQ government, stating, “This government has lost all credibility when it comes to the Outaouais. Giving the tramway money to other regions of Quebec is the latest in a long list of broken promises in our region. More than ever, it’s time to change the government.”
Despite the news, the Gatineau mayor says she is not giving up hope on the project and will continue to advocate for Gatineau with all levels of government.
Current Conditions - Gatineau, QC -2° Today's High: 6° Cloudy Today's Low: -4° Feels Like -4° Humidity 67% Pressure 1022.35 hPa Sunrise 06:37 Wind 6km/h NE UV Low Visibility 16.09km Sunset 5:52 Pinpoint your weather SkyTracker Weather App Hourly Weather 8 PM -2°9 PM -2°10 PM -2°11 ...
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Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ) mandated 'to continue and optimize the development of the tramway project'Media | Future of Gatineau's tramway project now in questionCaption: Quebec has now mandated Mobilité Infra Québec to take over the development of the tramway project in Gatineau. CBC's Natalia Goodwin reports oh why that's raising concern.Open full embed in new tab Quebec has announced a new agency will take over the planning of Gatineau's LRT project, but the city's mayor fears it mea...
Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ) mandated 'to continue and optimize the development of the tramway project'
Media | Future of Gatineau's tramway project now in question
Caption: Quebec has now mandated Mobilité Infra Québec to take over the development of the tramway project in Gatineau. CBC's Natalia Goodwin reports oh why that's raising concern.
Open full embed in new tab
Quebec has announced a new agency will take over the planning of Gatineau's LRT project, but the city's mayor fears it means the province is withdrawing funding from the future tramway.
Quebec Transport Minister Jonatan Julien announced in a French-language news release Tuesday that he has "entrusted Mobilité Infra Québec (MIQ) with the mandate to continue and optimize the development of the tramway project for the Gatineau region."
MIQ is a new agency created to help implement complex transportation infrastructure projects in the province, according to its website.
According to the transport minister's news release, MIQ will review the Gatineau project and propose "necessary adjustments to ensure [its] implementation within a responsible financial framework."
But at a news conference in Gatineau on Tuesday, Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonette and Edmund Leclerc, president of the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO), questioned MIQ's mandate — and the province's commitment to the project.
"They are also defunding our project here in Gatineau," Marquis-Bissonette warned. "We lack information ... for what's coming next for us."
Marquis-Bissonnette said she's hoping for more clarity from the province.
Talk about improving transit between downtown Ottawa-Gatineau and western Gatineau's growing Aylmer community last decade solidified into a light rail plan announced in 2018.
That line was to have 30 stations along 26 kilometres of rail, with spurs to Ottawa and Gatineau's Plateau neighbourhood. The 2018 price tag was $2.1 billion, and the aim was to open it in 2028.
Quebec Premier François Legault said in 2019 that the province would cover 60 per cent of the project's cost. The federal infrastructure minister also promised funding, but did not specify how much.
More recently, discussions focused on the connection to Ottawa and whether it should go above or below Wellington or Sparks streets.
In 2024, the provincial and federal governments announced $163.5 million in funding for studies related to the project. The most recent update on the project's website, about vibration studies along the proposed route, came in November.
Marquis-Bissonnette said the minister told her last week the decision to hand the project to MIQ was a financial one. She claims the province wants to "simply defund the project and put that money for other public transit projects across Quebec."
The minister's office redirected CBC's questions about the project's status to MIQ.
The organization's president and CEO is Renée Amilcar, formerly general manager of transit services for Ottawa. Amilcar said all the necessary funding is in place for the assessment stage of the tramway project, with future funding to be determined.
"I'm going to work with my team, with STO to deliver the best product. But absolutely, we need to secure the finance to be able to put the tramway in place," Amilcar told CBC on Tuesday.
The current Gatineau tramway office will close as MIQ takes over the project.