Public Domain
In Canada, copyright lasts for the life of the creator +50 years (+70 for sound recordings). Thereafter, works enter the public domain and can be used freely without payment or permission from the copyright owner. Copyright owners may also choose to waive their rights and dedicate a work to the public domain.
To locate public domain material, search online for "public domain" and the type of material you’re interested in (i.e., "public domain" images).
For additional sources, see Wikipedia's public domain resources page.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons offers creators licensing tools to redefine ways their works may be used. Materials with a Creative Commons license can be reproduced with fewer restrictions than other copyright-protected works.
A variety of Creative Commons licenses are available to creators, with attribution being the most basic requirement. Be sure to check the terms of use before using a work.
To search for Creative Commons images that are licensed for non-educational or commercial use:
Visit the Creative Commons search page
Enter your search terms and click "Search"
Then on the right-hand side of the screen, check of the type of license you wish to search for. The filters are listed with the most open licenses at the top, and get progressively closed moving down.
