Canada’s Bill C‑8: A New Era for Cybersecurity Regulation
By Patrick Miller
Canada is proposing sweeping changes to strengthen its cyber resilience through Bill C‑8. This two-part legislation enhances federal powers over telecom infrastructure and establishes enforceable cybersecurity obligations for critical infrastructure operators. Read our full breakdown of what it means, who it impacts, and what’s next in Parliament.
Overview
Bill C-8 represents a significant evolution in Canadian cyber legislation, advancing a two-pronged legal approach to modernize and enforce cybersecurity requirements for telecommunications infrastructure and critical cyber systems. The proposed law strengthens national cyber resilience by:
Embedding cybersecurity as a formal objective of the Telecommunications Act
Establishing a new, enforceable regulatory framework under the Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act (CCSPA) to govern operators of vital services.
If passed, the legislation would expand government oversight and enforcement capabilities, creating a binding policy and compliance regime with direct implications for Canadian operators and international firms operating in Canadian critical infrastructure sectors.
Key Drivers
National Security Gaps: Recognized vulnerabilities in Canada’s telecom and infrastructure ecosystem necessitate formal cyber governance.
Need for Enforceable Authority: Prior regulatory frameworks lacked explicit powers to issue enforceable cybersecurity orders or penalize noncompliance.
Supply Chain & Third-Party Risks: Increased reliance on global vendors, especially in telecom and energy, underscores the need for supply chain risk mitigation mandates.
Incident Underreporting: The lack of a formal cybersecurity incident reporting requirement has led to response lags and risk visibility gaps at the federal level.
Legislative Architecture
Bill C-8 spans two major components:
Amendments to the Telecommunications Act
Enactment of the Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act (CCSPA)
Telecommunications Act – Security Amendments
The existing Telecommunications Act did not provide statutory authority for proactive cybersecurity enforcement. As cyber threats from nation-state actors increasingly target core telecom infrastructure, regulators lacked a mechanism to issue mandatory directives to mitigate systemic risk. This limitation created a response gap during threat escalation scenarios and constrained the federal government’s ability to act in real-time.
The proposed amendments formally establish cybersecurity as a policy objective of the Telecommunications Act. They authorize the Minister of Industry and the Governor in Council to issue binding directives to telecom service providers—mandating or restricting specific actions to protect national network integrity. These provisions are supported by a framework for administrative penalties and judicial review.
- Grants the Minister of Industry and Governor in Council power to require or restrict telecom actions to protect network security.
- Introduces administrative monetary penalties for noncompliance.
- Sets out a judicial review process for regulatory appeals.
Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act (CCSPA)
Canada’s critical infrastructure sectors have operated without a unified cybersecurity regulatory framework. Oversight has been fragmented across industries, leaving gaps in preparedness, risk reporting, and supply chain controls. The absence of baseline cybersecurity obligations weakened national resiliency and obscured visibility into emerging cyber threats within essential services.
The CCSPA establishes a dedicated legal framework requiring designated operators of vital systems to implement cybersecurity programs, report incidents, and manage third-party and supply chain risks. It empowers federal authorities to issue cybersecurity directives and enables confidential information sharing between operators and government. The Act also aligns various federal statutes to support cohesive enforcement.
- Develop and maintain a cybersecurity program tailored to designated systems.
- Mitigate third-party and supply chain risks.
- Report cybersecurity incidents promptly to regulators.
- Comply with ministerial directives on cyber readiness and response.
Additional Features
Enables cyber information sharing across government and operators with confidentiality safeguards.
Establishes monitoring mechanisms and penalties for noncompliance.
Includes consequential amendments to align over a dozen federal statutes.
Delegates coming into force timing to Order in Council.
Current Status
| Legislative Step | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Reading | Completed | June 18, 2025 |
| 2nd Reading | Awaiting debate | TBD |
| Committee Review | Post‑second reading | TBD |
| Report Stage | Follows committee | TBD |
| 3rd Reading | House approval vote | TBD |
| Senate Process | Not initiated | TBD |
| Royal Assent | Pending | TBD |
Implementation Forecast
Bill C-8 has passed first reading as of June 18, 2025, and awaits second reading and committee review. Pending opposition tactics or scheduling delays, the legislation could advance through remaining House and Senate stages by late 2025. Activation of enforcement provisions is subject to flexible rollout under Order in Council authority.
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