What is the duration of patent protection from the date of application?

Patents generally provide protection for a defined period to reward inventors for their creativity and investment in research and development. In most jurisdictions, including Canada, the duration of patent protection is 20 years from the date of filing the patent application. This means that the inventor has exclusive rights to their invention for two decades, allowing them to commercially exploit the invention and prevent others from using, making, or selling it without permission.

After this 20-year period, the patent expires, and the invention enters the public domain, giving others the freedom to use the invention without infringing on the patent. This system encourages innovation while eventually allowing access to inventions for the broader public benefit. Other options mentioning durations such as 10 years, 15 years, or 50 years do not align with the standard 20-year term recognized under patent law.