OTTAWA, ON, June 16, 2026 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the critical infrastructure and digital systems that people in Canada rely on. This is why today, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, and the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Industry and the Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, highlighted that Bill C-8: An Act Respecting Cyber Security (ARCS) received Royal Assent.

This legislation strengthens Canada's ability to protect essential services by supporting the security of the country's telecommunications system, and bolstering cyber security across the financial, telecommunications, energy, and transportation sectors.

ARCS amends the Telecommunications Act to add security as an explicit policy objective and provides the government with new authorities to compel action against threats to the telecommunications system. ARCS also introduces the Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act, which creates a regulatory framework requiring designated operators in the finance, telecommunications, energy, and transportation sectors to protect their critical cyber systems.

Amendments to the Telecommunications Act take immediate effect upon Royal Assent. The Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act will be implemented gradually, with certain provisions coming into force through a phased approach.

Implementing ARCS is crucial for Canadians because it helps protect critical infrastructure against cyber threats that are growing in frequency and sophistication. This law ensures that organizations in vital sectors implement stronger security measures, report significant incidents, and are held accountable. Ultimately, ARCS will help safeguard Canadians' safety, privacy and economic stability by ensuring that essential services remain secure and operational in the face of evolving digital risks.

Quote(s)

"An Act Respecting Cyber Security is a critical piece of legislation that will help us better protect Canadian values, principles, rights and freedoms from malicious cyber actors while building a strong economy. Now that it has received Royal Assent, we can start putting into place new, concrete measures that will strengthen our telecommunications and cyber systems."

- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

"Canadians expect their networks to be safe, reliable, and secure. Bill C-8 ensures we can keep pace with emerging risks – protecting Canadians, strengthening our economy, and allowing Canada to remain competitive in a rapidly changing world."

- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and the Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

"Canada's national security depends on strong cyber defence. Bill C‑8 reinforces the leadership of the Communications Security Establishment Canada in defending government systems and protecting Canada's critical infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. By strengthening how Canada prevents, detects, and responds to malicious cyber activity, this legislation helps secure essential services, protect sensitive information, and safeguard the systems that underpin Canada's security and prosperity."

 - The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

Quick Facts

• Budget 2019 provided $144.9 million to introduce a new critical cyber systems framework to protect Canada's federally regulated critical infrastructure in the finance, telecommunications, energy, and transport sectors.
• Canada's two organizations responsible for securing and defending  government information systems, and preventing and responding to cyber incidents on CI, are the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) within the Communications Security Establishment, and the National Cybercrime Coordination Unit (NC3) within the RCMP.

Related Products

• Backgrounder on Protecting Critical Cyber Systems
• Overview of the Proposed Changes to the Telecommunications Act

Associated Links

• The National Cyber Security Strategy 
• Public Safety Canada's Cyber Security webpage
• Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
• CSE's evolved Security Review Program
• A Telecommunications Reliability Agenda

Stay Connected
Follow Public Safety Canada on X, LinkedIn and YouTube
Follow Don't Drive High on Facebook and Instagram

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC)