01-27 GENERALS WINTER25 FINAL EDIT (JAN 25) - Flipbook - Page 20
INNOVATION
The Timeline Imperative
Bill C-8 is expected to pass quickly,
potentially within months. Once enacted,
designated operators will have 90 days
to implement cybersecurity programs
and begin enforcing supply chain
requirements. This creates a compressed
timeline for construction companies.
Organizations should begin
immediately with exposure assessment
and gap analysis (Weeks 1-4), followed by
implementing foundational controls and
developing policies (Months 2-3). Mediumterm actions (Months 4-6) include
deploying remaining technical controls,
establishing incident response capabilities,
and potentially beginning certi昀椀cation
processes. Long-term preparations
(Months 7-12) involve achieving
certi昀椀cation, conducting exercises, and
positioning compliance as a competitive
differentiator.
Companies that delay risk 昀椀nding
themselves shut out of critical
infrastructure projects as designated
operators tighten vendor requirements.
Conversely, early adopters can market their
compliance readiness, accelerate vendor
approval processes, and demonstrate
organizational maturity to potential
clients.
The Competitive Opportunity
Bill C-8 represents both challenge and
opportunity for Canadian construction
companies. The compliance burden
is real, the costs are signi昀椀cant, and
the penalties for failure are severe. But
this regulatory shift also creates clear
differentiation between companies that
take cybersecurity seriously and those that
don't.
In conversations with designated
operators across telecommunications,
energy, and 昀椀nancial services sectors,
a consistent theme emerges: these
organizations are desperate for
vendors who understand and can meet
their cybersecurity requirements.
Construction companies that proactively
build compliance capabilities will 昀椀nd
themselves with a signi昀椀cant competitive
advantage in bidding for critical
infrastructure projects.
The construction industry has
navigated major regulatory shifts before—
from occupational health and safety to
environmental standards to accessibility
requirements. Bill C-8's cybersecurity
mandates represent the next evolution
20 the generals • WINTER 2025/2026
in construction compliance. Companies
that embrace this shift early, invest
appropriately, and build genuine security
capabilities will emerge stronger and more
competitive.
The time to prepare is now, before
Bill C-8 becomes law and clients begin
enforcing requirements. Early action
positions construction companies to win
the critical infrastructure projects that will
drive industry growth for years to come.
Additional Resources
Government Resources
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
Public Safety Canada
Bill C-8 Legislative Text
Cybersecurity Frameworks
NIST Cybersecurity Framework
ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security
CIS Critical Security Controls
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