A trade name or business name, although registered with provincial authorities, does not of itself confer any right to the name that is enforceable against third parties. Rather, registration simply enables the public to ascertain who is using a particular trade name.
A trade name may incorporate a trademark, or itself be used as a trademark (to denote the origin of goods or services, as opposed to being the name of a business) and thus be registrable and enforceable as a trademark (e.g., McDonald's is both a trade name or trade style, and a trademark for restaurant services).
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