At the tower

Official mark protection permits public authorities, like Canada Lands, to protect public symbols from being capitalized without permission of the official mark holder.

Trademark protection permits entities and individuals to protect distinctive and recognizable designs and other signs from being commercially misappropriated and misused by third parties in a way that causes confusion or depreciates or dilutes the reputation and goodwill that has been built up in the mark. Canada Lands also owns several trademark registrations for designs of the CN Tower. You can learn more about trademark protection on the Canadian Intellectual Property Office’s website.

Everyone has implied permission to make commercial use of the CN Tower as part of the Toronto skyline provided conditions are met. For example, if the CN Tower is featured as part of the skyline, the use must be in good taste. However, if the CN Tower is the focal point, ornamented, or otherwise altered, permission may be required. See our Guidelines for details.

A license is also not required for personal, non-commercial uses, or journalistic uses of designs of the CN Tower. Put simply, you do not need our permission to take a photo and post it to your personal social media account, or to capture a special memory of your visit. 

Canada Lands’ permission is required to use a design of the CN Tower in association with a business, on merchandise, in marketing materials or for any other commercial purpose.  

A design of the CN Tower includes a photograph featuring the CN Tower, an image such as a graphic, painting or drawing of the CN Tower, an outline of the CN Tower, a sculpture of the CN Tower, and any other likeness of the CN Tower.

Commercial purposes include: 

• Promotional uses, for example, a design of the CN Tower appearing in advertising or marketing materials such as print ads, commercials, catalogues, websites, etc. 
• Packaging and labelling uses, for example, a design of the CN Tower appearing on a label or packaging for a product, etc. 
• Merchandise related uses, for example, a design of the CN Tower appearing on clothing or any other product, or the shape of the CN Tower being used as the shape of a product, etc.
• As a souvenir, for example, a statue of the CN Tower as a keychain or a photo of the CN Tower as a postcard, etc.
• In media, for example, the CN Tower being featured on the cover of a book, the CN Tower being featured in or used as the set of a movie, show, video, commercial, or in editorial, non-journalistic uses, etc. 

For clarity, use by not-for-profits and charities is considered commercial use.

For requests to film at the CN Tower, please go to Media Inquiries.  

With few exceptions, we do not grant permission to incorporate designs of the CN Tower in trademarks.

Yes. The CN Tower does belong to all Canadians. In alignment with our work to enrich communities and experiences, proceeds from the CN Tower’s licensing program are donated to the United Way, in support of its work to build strong, healthy communities from coast to coast.