A local organization dedicated to educating residents and tourists about living safely with wildlife is looking into trademark status for its brand.
WildSmart education program director Kim Titchener said a fair amount of work still needs to be done to pursue a trademark, but it is something the organization is currently considering.
“We have been talking about it for years and it has never went anywhere,” she said. “Now it is becoming more prevalent (as an issue) and we want to look at it.”
The WildSmart name and logo have never been trademarked, but Titchener said the board is discussing costs of pursuing it and how long it would take.
She said having been in existence for over five years, the organization has received calls from other jurisdictions in Alberta, Canada and the United States asking if they can copy WildSmart’s name, logo website and content.
Because WildSmart is funded by local organizations, including the Town of Canmore, the program’s focus is local. Titchener said it does not have the staff, funding or mandate to guide other communities through the process of setting up a similar organization.
While as a resource she said WildSmart can point communities in the right direction, the work done in the Bow Valley and the brand created here needs protection.
“The problem with that is it takes away from our brand and we have worked hard to create this program in the Bow Valley,” Titchener said. “The program has grown so much… we are at a point where we really need to look into this.”
For example, she said, the WildSmart website had 14,000 hits in 2010 from across North America.
Applying for and getting a trademark is not necessarily an easy process and one that could involve some cost.
WildSmart board chair Pat Kamenka has taken on the task or researching what is needed and will report back to the board in the future.
