On September 11, 2026, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) updated its Next Generation Patents (NGP) service notice to address cases where delays in processing voluntary amendments led examiners to issue reports based on outdated claims. Under the temporary policy, CIPO has relaxed the conditions for withdrawing an examiner’s report where the relevant amendment was received more than 30 days before the report date. Applicants must make the request in writing before filing a response, or no later than the response deadline, and CIPO will assess requests case by case. The agency has not announced an end date for the measure.
The change arrives alongside a broader push to accelerate selected patent work. CIPO’s Key Technology Expedited Program (KTEP), launched on September 2, currently opens a fast-track route for critical-minerals innovation, with up to 50 requests per year, a waiver of the 2026 advanced-examination fee of C$744.10 for approved requests, and a target of issuing a first office action within about seven months. Canada and China have also extended their Patent Prosecution Highway pilot for five years, through August 31, 2031. The practical point for applicants is to separate three different tools: the NGP policy is a remedy for procedural mismatch, KTEP prioritizes eligible critical-technology cases, and PPH can accelerate examination where corresponding claims have already reached an allowable stage in the partner office.
