Patent Rules (SOR/96-423)

22. Any act by or in relation to a patent agent or an associate patent agent shall have the effect of an act by or in relation to the applicant.

23. Where an applicant is not the inventor and no patent agent residing in Canada has been appointed or any such appointment has been revoked, the Commissioner shall by notice requisition either that the applicant appoint a patent agent residing in Canada or, where a non-resident patent agent has been appointed, that the non-resident patent agent appoint an associate patent agent, within the three-month period after the date of the notice.

24. Where a patent agent withdraws from practice, any patent agent who is the successor to that patent agent and who has so established to the Commissioner, shall be considered to be the appointed patent agent until another patent agent is appointed, in respect of any application in which the patent agent who has withdrawn from practice has been appointed.

25. Except where other times are provided by the Act or these Rules, the time within which action must be taken by an applicant where the Commissioner, by notice, requisitions the applicant to take any action necessary for compliance with the Act or these Rules is the three-month period after the requisition is made.

• 26. (1) Subject to subsection (2) and any other provision of these Rules, except in respect of Part V, the Commissioner is authorized to extend the time fixed by these Rules or by the Commissioner under the Act for doing anything, subject to both the extension being applied for and the fee set out in item 22 of Schedule II being paid before the expiry of that time, where the Commissioner is satisfied that the circumstances justify the extension.

• (2) Where, for the purposes of paragraph 73(1)(a) of the Act, the Commissioner establishes a shorter period for replying in good faith to any requisition made by an examiner in connection with an examination, the Commissioner is not authorized to extend the time for replying beyond six months after the requisition is made.

• (3) Except in respect of Part V, if the appropriate fee under subsection 3(3), (5), (7), (8) or (9) in respect of a proceeding or service is either a small entity fee or a standard fee, and if, after the coming into force of this subsection, a person pays the small entity fee but the applicant or patentee later becomes aware that the standard fee should have been paid, the Commissioner is authorized to extend the time fixed by these Rules for payment of the appropriate fee if the Commissioner is satisfied that the circumstances justify the extension.

• (4) An extension may be authorized under subsection (3) only if the following conditions are satisfied:

  • (a) the applicant or patentee files a statement that, to the best of their knowledge, the small entity fee was paid in good faith and the subject application for the extension is being filed without undue delay after the applicant or patentee became aware that the standard fee should have been paid;

  • (b) the applicant or patentee pays the difference between the amount of the small entity fee that was paid and the standard fee as set out in Schedule II to the Patent Rules as they read at the time the small entity fee was paid; and

  • (c) the applicant or patentee pays the fee set out in item 22 of Schedule II in respect of each fee that is the subject of an application for such an extension.