Queen's University Library

Queen's University Library

Other Rights & Exemptions

Owners Rights :

The Copyright Act gives owners "the sole right to produce or reproduce the work or any substantial part thereof in any material form whatever" [s. 3(1)].

This includes the:

  • Right to Reproduce Work — Making copies (digital, analog, etc.) 
  • Right to make Derivative Works — Creating works based on the original (translations, adaptations, pastiche, etc.)
  • Right to Distribute Work — Selling or making the work publicly available (uploading to the Internet, sharing over email, etc.).
  • Right to Publicly Perform Work — Screening a film, putting on a play, reciting a monologue, etc.
  • Right to Publicly Display Work — Posting or displaying images or text (physically or virtually), presenting a slide show, etc.
  • Right to Make Digital Transmission of Work — Broadcasting music or other sound recordings

Important Exemptions and Limitations (other than Fair Dealing):

  • Exemptions for Library, Archives and Museums [link to law]
  • Exemptions for Educational Institutions [link to law]
  • Exemptions for Persons with Perceptual Disabilities [link to law]
  • Limitations. Copyright does not cover everything. Ask yourself the following questions:
    • Is it Protected by Copyright? The general rule in Canada is that copyright lasts for 50 years after the death of the author [s. 6]
    • Is it Substantial? Copyright only covers substantial parts of works [s. 3(1)]. [How do I determine substantiality?]