Registration FAQs
Why Register My Work
The WGC Registration Service is available to members and non-members to assist them in establishing the identity and date of completion of a stage of their literary material including material written for feature films, television and radio, book manuscripts, poetry and periodical articles.
Please be aware that the Registration Service is NOT a copyrighting service and registration with the Guild does not protect titles or confer any statutory protection nor take the place of copyright registration. In Canada, copyright arises automatically upon creation of a work and the copyright may be registered in the Register of Copyrights maintained at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (Copyright Office) in Hull, Quebec (for information call the Office at 1-866-997-1936). The purpose of the Registration Service of the Guild is to provide a dated record of the writer's claim to authorship of a particular literary material.
Note that while the WGC stores registered literary material for a five-year period, it does not verify the originality or authenticity of the material, make comparisons of registration deposits nor provide any assurances that the registered material enjoys copyright protection.
If you have any questions regarding the Registration process, please contact:
Writers Guild of Canada
366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 401
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1R9 Canada
Tel: 1-800-567-9974 or 416-979-7907
Fax: 416-979-9273
Email:
Registrable Material
Registrable material includes scripts, treatments, synopses, outlines, and other literary material written for theatrical motion pictures, television, radio, home video and interactive media.
The WGC Registration Service also accepts book manuscripts, poetry, short stories, stageplays and articles written for magazines and periodicals.
Acceptable File Formats (online registration)
All file formats will be accepted. The writer will be prompted to select the file on the hard drive that is to be registered. Please note that only one file per online registration will be accepted. Currently the file size limit is 8 MB. Zip files are prohibited. The writer retains the responsibility to provide software to open and read the registered files. The WGC expressly disclaims any responsibility for maintaining software to open or read any of the files we accept for registration.
Please make certain the correct file and version of the material is being uploaded. All registrations are final upon submission and cannot be changed, substituted or voided. The WGC does not recommend locking the file with a password.
Access to Registration Information
Writers who have registered literary material with the WGC may request confirmation of registration, the registration number, date of deposit and other related information.
All such requests must be in writing, addressed to the WGC and signed by the applicable writer(s) [accompanied by a photocopy of the writer's driver's licence, passport or other photo identification].
All requests from the writer should contain as much specific information as possible regarding the registration, such as registration number, title of material and date of creation and may be submitted to the WGC by mail or in person.
In no event, except under these provisions, shall any deposited material, copies of deposited material, or information regarding deposited material be provided unless an official guild action, court order, or other legal process has been served.
Registration Fees
The registration fee structure is:
WGC members.............$22.60 (CDN) per registration online
WGC members.............$25.00 (CDN) per registration completed by our office
Non WGC members......$39.55 (CDN) per registration
Non WGC members......$40.00 (CDN) per registration completed by our office
Cheques should be made payable to the Writers Guild of Canada. The above fees include GST.
The online registration system currently accepts payment by Visa and Mastercard. The above fees include HST.
Duration & Renewals
The registration of deposited material is valid for a term of five years.
One month prior to expiry of the material's registration, a renewal notice will be issued to the writer(s) by email or mail at the address recorded in the WGC's database. A writer may renew the registration for an additional five-year term on the payment of the then current registration fee. Renewals will be accepted up to three months after the expiration of the original registration. If a renewal request is not received by the WGC within the specified time frame, the material will be destroyed without further notice to the writer on the expiry of the term of registration.
Withdrawal
The registration loses all value if the writer withdraws the material, as there will no longer be evidence that the material has been in the WGC's charge since the date of deposit. For this reason, it is important for the writer to always retain a separate copy of the literary material being registered.
Nonetheless, if the writer finds it necessary, the material can be returned upon the written request of the writer. If the registration is in the names of more than one writer, the written consent of all is required to authorize a withdrawal.
The withdrawal fees are:
WGC members.............$22.60 (CDN) per registration
Non WGC members......$39.55 (CDN) per registration
The above fees include HST. Under no circumstances will registered material be allowed out of the WGC files without the writer's consent, unless by court order or official guild action.
**Withdrawals are not currently available for registrations made through the online service.
