Copyright is legal protection automatically granted to creators of original works—books, music, art, software, photographs, and other creative expressions. Copyright gives creators exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, and adapt their work. In Canada, copyright lasts for the creator's lifetime plus 70 years. Copyright does not protect ideas, facts, or titles—only the expression of ideas. Fair dealing provisions allow limited use for purposes like research, education, criticism, and news reporting. Copyright affects municipalities when using images, documents, or other protected content, and when considering intellectual property rights in content they create. The Copyright Act is federal legislation.