A federal government project to modernize Canada's patent office cost taxpayers more than $32 million, more than double its original budget, while inventors continue to face lengthy waits for patent approvals.Blacklock's Reporter says new figures released by the Department of Industry show the computerization project was completed two years behind schedule and exceeded its original budget by 114%.The information was disclosed in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the House of Commons following questions from Conservative MP Arnold Viersen (Peace River-Westlock, Alta.).The project, designed to replace paper-based patent applications with an electronic filing system, was initially expected to cost $15,020,565 and be completed by November 2022.Instead, the final bill reached $32,084,216, with the system not completed until October 31, 2024.That represents more than $17 million in additional spending.“The original projected cost of the front office modernization was $15,020,565 with an implementation deadline of November 2022,” the department wrote.“This amount represented the project estimate based on the scope, requirements and delivery assumptions.”Federal officials attributed the escalating costs and delays to changes made during development.“As the project progressed, changes to scope, functionality requirements, timelines and associated costs were identified and assessed,” the department said.Viersen requested a detailed accounting of the transition from paper applications to electronic patent filing, including development of the My Canadian Intellectual Property Office Patents platform.The modernization was intended to streamline the application process and improve efficiency at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.However, departmental records show patent applicants continued to face significant processing delays even after the multimillion-dollar upgrade.According to the parliamentary response, average patent processing times last year remained at 42 months or longer.That means Canadian inventors could still wait three and a half years or more for their applications to be processed despite the government's spending on the new electronic system..The Canadian Intellectual Property Office receives thousands of patent applications annually and is responsible for administering intellectual property rights in Canada.Lengthy patent approval times have been a concern for Canadian businesses and technology companies for more than a decade.During 2012 hearings of the Commons industry committee, Karna Gupta, then CEO of the Information Technology Association of Canada, warned that delays in the patent system were discouraging innovation and creating incentives for companies to move production outside the country.“The deferral period makes it difficult for Canadian industry to assess the risk potential of infringement during this process,” Gupta testified.“It’s an incentive to move the production outside of Canada.”Gupta said problems extended beyond the initial filing process and included broader concerns about Canada's ability to support inventors and commercialize new technologies.“Once you have it patented, it’s not only the filing process and going through the searches but also the length of the patent,” he said.“There are other issues that play into it.”Gupta also questioned whether Canada's business environment provided sufficient financial support and opportunities for inventors to bring their products to market.“Do we have a capital market with a higher tolerance to risk? No,” he told MPs.“Do we have a marketplace that allows our inventors to first showcase their products to the world? We do not.”He argued the federal government itself could play a larger role in supporting Canadian innovation by purchasing and adopting emerging technologies.“Government is one of the largest users of intellectual property,” Gupta said.“Ask yourself, does government take on early products? This is not a question of blame. It’s a question of policy.”The latest departmental figures show the federal government spent more than twice its original estimate to modernize the patent filing system, but applicants continue to face processing times measured in years.The parliamentary response did not establish whether the electronic upgrade had reduced processing times compared with the previous paper-based system.It also did not indicate when patent applicants could expect significantly shorter waits for approvals.
