Two Ways to Register and the First Steps of the Process
There are two methods for trademark registration. The first is when you have already used the trademark in the market before you apply. During the process you will be asked if you have ever used the mark or the name in the market. If yes, you should provide documents and evidence regarding how much and how long you have been using it. They usually don't reject your request for registering what you have already created and promoted. For example, Academy Awards contains two common nouns which can be used by anyone, but this trademark was created decades ago, so it is acknowledged because of the value and power it has achieved in the world. The second method is when you register a trademark you have never used before.
The procedure is federal both in the US and Canada; provincial registration makes no sense. The whole registration takes 9 months to one and a half years.
First, identify the applicant, a person, a corporation or an association. The applicant is responsible for the brand and will be the owner. Give valid addresses and phone numbers, because they will be used to contact you. If you confront a legal issue, they usually give you six months to defend your case, and if you don't respond, the case will be closed.
Second, choose what to register: corporation name, product name, logo, advertising slogan, and whether it is TM or SM. The typesetting must be exactly the way you want it registered, and a logo must be a jpg file. You won't be able to register a design that looks too much like an active trademark.
Third, select the product category. Someone else may register the same name in the food category while yours is under computer services. Each category requires a separate fee.