Original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works are automatically protected by copyright. While it is possible to register copyright in a work through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, registration is not necessary for a work to be considered protected. Books, films, sculptures, and computer programs are all examples of works protected by copyright. Facts, ideas, and data cannot be copyrighted. Typically ‘fixation’, on paper or as a digital file, for example, is required for copyright to subsist in a work. Notable exceptions to the fixation rule include a 'performer’s performance', such as play or musical performance, that are not in a ‘fixed’ form (e.g. available as a DVD) but are nonetheless covered by copyright.
