Trademark claim means city will have to pay to use Earthwise name

The City of Thunder Bay is being forced to pay up if it wants to continue using the Earthwise name for its environmental program. 

A trademark infringement claim was recently issued by lawyers for Cambridge and North Dumfries Energy Solutions. The company based in the Waterloo region has held a trademark for Earthwise for about 10 years, the company’s president said.

John Grotheer said the company uses the Earthwise name for a number of things related to energy conservation and sustainability. Earthwise Thunder Bay is a partnership between the city and volunteers who are working on issues around climate change and community sustainability. 

Last night, City Council was set to enter into a license agreement to allow the city to continue its use of the registered trademark, Earthwise. 

But there was a discrepancy in whether it was a three-year or one-year agreement and the vote was deferred. 

The city would pay a fee to use the trademark, which Grotheer estimates would be a few thousand dollars. 

Calls to the city's legal department were not returned Tuesday afternoon.