The report explores the use of the intellectual property (IP) system in Canada, and the use of the global IP system by Canadians. [...] The statistics in this report illuminate the growth in the use of IP rights in Canada, as well as by Canadians filing abroad. [...] Patents are in use in nearly every country in the world, and growth in global filings for patents has been rapid.ii In 2015, the total number of patent applications at CIPO grew by 4% to 36,964, of which 4,277 were by Canadian residents and 32,687 were by non-residents. [...] As figure 18 shows, the proportion of patent filings in Canada from the U. S. that use the PCT, is much higher than that of PCT filings from Canada to the U. S. However, the use of the PCT by Canadians filing in the U. S. has experienced a sustained increase, from 7% in 2005 to 19% in 2014. [...] The more complex the IP right, the greater the degree of interaction, and the longer the period of time necessary for approval.