Plant Breeders' Rights Office

Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR) are a form of intellectual property rights by which plant breeders can protect their new varieties in the same way an inventor protects a new invention with a patent.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency administers the Plant Breeders' Rights Act (1990) and Regulations which provide legal protection to plant breeders for new plant varieties for up to 25 years for a variety of tree and vine (including their rootstocks), and 20 years for all other varieties of plants.

What information is available?

Information for applicants

• Applying for Plant Breeders' Rights - A Three Part Process
  • Variety Naming Guidelines
• Status of Plant Breeders' Rights Applications and Grant of Rights

Learn about Plant Breeders' Rights

• Plant Varieties Journal
• Status of Plant Breeders' Rights Applications and Grant of Rights
• Questions and Answers: The Impact of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) Conventions on Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada
• Questions and Answers - Plant Breeders' Rights Act and the Agricultural Growth Act
• Related information
  • Plant Biosafety
  • Variety Registration
  • UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) - Member countries