The creator of an original creative work has the sole authority to copy, perform, distribute, license, monetize, or assign these rights to another. All original creative works are inherently protected by copyright. The copyright symbol does not need to be present. Using copyrighted works may only be done with permission or when permissible through exceptions such as the Fair Dealing exception of the Canadian Copyright Act.
Moral rights cannot be licensed or sold, but may be explicitly waived. These rights include, the right to have their work attributed and the right to maintain the physical integrity and the meaning of their work
As of December 30, 2022. copyright protections have been extended to the life of the creator plus an additional 70 years. Works that had previously entered the public domain on and before January 1, 2022 and prior remain in the public domain. Term limits may vary based on authorship and medium. Reach out to the Library for more information.
Copyright at Algonquin College is governed by:
All content found on this subject guide is intended for Algonquin College staff, faculty, and students. This guide is a reference for the application of general copyright principles and practice and is not intended to provide legal advice.
Ontario Colleges have launched Copyright Fundamentals, an online course to help you better understand and apply Canadian copyright law in your teaching and work.
🔹 What’s Included:
7 short, self-directed modules
Each module includes a video and transcript/summary
A final quiz in Module 8 is required to complete the course
Practical “how-to” modules for everyday copyright questions
🔹 How to Access:
Click this link to self-enroll via the Employee Learning LMS
Once enrolled, the course will appear in your My Learning Dashboard
Revisit the modules anytime for ongoing support
This course is designed to support fair dealing, licensing awareness, and respectful use of content in an academic environment. Please note: It provides general guidance—you’re still responsible for following Algonquin College’s copyright practices.
Contact the Algonquin College Library for copyright support or to book a one-on-one virtual or in-person appointment.