2002-09-26|Canadian Independent Inventors

To whom it may concern

The "Innovations Development Fund (IDF)" is a great idea! If the federal government's fiscal restraint makes it impossible to create such an organisation at this time, however, then I would propose that the existing Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) redefine the following eligibility rule of "not-for-profit institutions" to include "profitless for-profit entities" in order to accommodate Canadian independent inventors who are doing research and development. The independent inventors are inherently profitless until the new products/services make profits.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation established by the Government of Canada in 1997, with a goal to strengthen the capability of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and other not-for-profit institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development.

Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA)'s Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) could be improved for Canadian independent inventors if the subtraction due to "government and non-government assistance" (Form T661, Lines 430, 534, 536) does not exist. As it is, any provincial assistance gets nullified by the subtraction. Also, an overall cap on the prescribed proxy amount could be eliminated so that it will not limit the proxy amount for Canadian independent inventors. The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) rate could be increased from 35 % to 40 %.
National Research Council of Canada (NRCC)'s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) is said to often cost (bureaucracy, paper work, etc.) rather than benefit companies in a startup situation. I also heard complaints that the financial assistance arrives too late. As an independent inventor seeking assistance for a proof-of-concept prototype, I was overwhelmed by the requirement to write a full business plan with pro-forma financial statements even though I have absolutely no idea how to make predictions for a product that may sell millions of units per year 5 years from now, or may not sell at all. Besides, writing a business plan does not quality for SR&ED.
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)'s reduced patent fees for small entities are very much appreciated. However, Canadian independent inventors could further benefit if there were micro-entity fees at 1/4 of the regular fees, although I would like to see Canadian independent inventors's patent filing and maintenance fees covered by IDF or CFI. There should be a longer grace period for reinstatement of an abandoned application from the present 12 months to the entire 20-year lifetime (with applicable fees, of course).
In order to obtain a patent in any country, the invention must be new (first in the world), but each country has its own patent office to examine an application. The Patent Office should be made to accept only PCT applications at the same cost as the current Canadian patent application (at least for small entities) so that foreign patent protection would simply be a matter of selecting more designated states.
- PCT
If the Federal Government seeks R & D industrial strategy for competitiveness in the future, I suggest that a priority be given to streamlining and subsidising the international patent process. The evolution of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) into Patent Law Treaty (PLT) could help if executed properly, but here is an example of Government Bureaucracy Extreme to be avoided.
- Government Bureaucracy Extreme

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)'s Venture Capital division has rejected my proposal with a polite letter.

Thank you for considering the BDC, Venture Capital for your business opportunity. Unfortunately, our current investment policy does not permit us to finance projects of that nature. Once again, thank you and good luck.

The "projects of that nature" is my proposal that venture funding finance my patent fees, i.e., approximately $2 500 CAD per patent in its lifetime of 20 years. The patents would be treated as collateral, and the terms and conditions would specify percentage of any licensing fees and profits resulting from these patents. A BDC advisor or an appointee would evaluate the potential of each patent ($), decide possible foreign patent filing ($), and identify further actions ($), etc.
The former CBC Chief Political Correspondent, Jason Moscovitz, who joined BDC as Vice President of Public Affairs after BDC rejected my proposal, may be the contact person to have their investment policy modified in order to accommodate Canadian independent inventors.
There could be the "Governor General's Award for Canadian Inventions" each year to recognise Canadians who filed notable Canadian patent applications. Canadian independent inventors could have a distinct category. I would also like to see Canadian independent inventors recognised in the "Order of Canada" every year. In the world of arts, there is Canada Council and quite a few awards such as "Governor General's Medal in Architecture", "Governor General's Performing Arts Awards", "Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts", "Governor General's Literary Awards", even "Governor General's Awards for Children's Literature". However, there is none for Canadian independent inventors.
The Canadian Innovation Centre in Waterloo (Ontario) is a very good guy, but they emphasise Evaluation, Appraisal, Assessment, Consulting, Education, Training, instead of licensing of inventions. I understand that their services are similar to those offered by Wal-Mart Innovation Network (WIN) and Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) in the U.S.A., i.e., they do not predict commercial success (will it sell?) but rather detect serious technical or commercial flaws in the ideas submitted.
Thank you very much for your attention.

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"Sunatori, Go Simon" <GS.Sunatori@HyperInfo.CA>

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2024-12-17T20:36:47.000Z