Intellectual Property & Trademarks

Trade Secret

Commercially valuable information kept confidential, protected by secrecy rather than registration.

Customer lists, formulas, pricing models and processes can all be trade secrets. Protection depends entirely on taking reasonable steps to keep the information confidential — NDAs, access controls, and clear internal policies.

Why it matters: unlike a patent, a trade secret has no expiry — but it is lost permanently once the information becomes public.

Related terms

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Legal information, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and change over time. A licensed lawyer must review your matter.

Editorial status: Lawkin Editorial — pending independent legal review.

Trade Secret — Canadian legal glossary | Lawkin — Lawkin