Canadian steel producers urge retaliation against potential U.S. tariffs

The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) is calling on the federal government to respond swiftly if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium imports.

“We are deeply concerned that U.S. President Donald Trump is again threatening more tariffs on Canada, this time directly targeting the steel and aluminum sectors,” CSPA president and CEO Catherine Cobden said in a statement.

Cobden warned that similar tariffs in 2018 caused major disruptions in both countries, harming businesses and workers. She emphasized the close economic ties between Canada and the U.S., noting that steel trade between the two nations is valued at $20 billion annually, with 40 per cent of Canada’s steel imports coming from the U.S.

“This at a time when Canada has worked tremendously hard to align our trade policy with the United States to protect both markets from unfair trade that threaten jobs and communities,” she said. “For example, Canada implemented its own Section 53 tariffs on Chinese steel imports and a monitoring system of all imports to ensure it can identify the country of melt and pour.

“While the target of Canadian steel and aluminium is completely baseless and unwarranted, we must retaliate immediately.”

Cobden urged the Canadian government to retaliate immediately to counter the impact of any new tariffs.

“We are urgently demanding that the Government of Canada act again with resolve and purpose to combat this threat and ensure any measure taken against our sector is met with retaliatory measures and action to offset the devastating impacts tariffs would have on our sector and our workers.”

Trump made the announcement that he intended to impose the tariffs on steel and aluminium entering the U.S., including from Canada, Feb. 9.

The Aluminium Association of Canada also voiced its concern over the tariffs.

“A 25 per cent tariff on our aluminium going to the U.S. will only hurt U.S. jobs, U.S. industries – including defence, automative, construction and housing,” said Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminium Association of Canada. “At a time when you want to keep the price of everyday goods down, and ensure good American manufacturing jobs, a tariff will only drive prices higher – hurting Americans in their pocketbooks and undermining the agenda the U.S. government says it wants to achieve.”

The association highlighted that Canada’s 9,500 Canadian aluminium workers produce the metal that is processed, transformed and fabricated into parts, components and everyday products by more than 700,000 well-paid American manufacturing workers, generating more than $228 billion in economic output in the U.S. economy.