In Canada, if **person\_a** creates a copyrightable work, and then later **person\_b** creates (without copying **person\_a**'s work) the same work, do both **person\_a** and **person\_b** have copyright, or does only **person\_a** have copyright? Answers on [this American post](https://www.quora.com/If-two-people-created-the-same-content-independently-without-any-previous-or-shared-knowledge-who-would-own-the-copyright) suggest both authors would have copyright, but in Canada the [Copyright Act](https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-42/FullText.html) clearly says:



> 
> the sole right to produce or reproduce
> 
> 
> 


Reproducing something requires you to copy it, but producing doesn't. The way I read this statement is that copyright is only granted to **person\_a**, because **person\_b** is violating the sole right to "produce" portion of this statement.


(I'm aware that the likelihood of this happening is slim when dealing
with works substantial enough in size to actually qualify for a
defensible copyright.)



If the same content is created by more than one person without copying, do all authors have copyright, or just the first author?