Northerners are voicing their concerns following an announcement that the U.S. will impose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports starting this month.
On March 1, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a tariff of 25 per cent on all imported Canadian steel and a 10 per cent tariff of aluminum coming into the U.S., suggesting the levy would “level the playing field” for U.S. producers.
“What’s been allowed to go on for decades is disgraceful; it’s disgraceful,” Trump said at a press conference announcing the tariffs. “When it comes to a time when our country can’t make aluminum or steel…you almost don’t have much of a country, because without steel and aluminum, your country’s not the same.”
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland responded by saying any trade restrictions on Canadian steel and aluminum would be “absolutely unacceptable.”
“Any restrictions would harm workers, the industry and manufacturers on both sides of the border. The steel and aluminum industry is highly integrated and supports critical North American manufacturing supply chains,” she said in a statement.
“The Canadian government will continue to make this point directly with the American administration at all levels.”
Sault Ste. Marie MP Terry Sheehan, who is co-chair of the federal government’s Steel Caucus, said he had been working diligently for the steel industry, and that the proposed tariff “is not being taken lightly by the federal government.”
“I have had the opportunity to communicate my concerns with the prime minister, cabinet ministers and American counterparts about the possible devastating affect this type of tariff would mean for both Canada and the United States,” Sheehan said in the release.
He said he would continue to lobby in favour of Canadian steel producers.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne echoed Freeland’s concerns, suggesting she would continue to “stand up” for Ontario steel workers, by advocating on their behalf in collaboration with the federal government.
“Any suggestion that Ontario-made steel or aluminum constitutes a 'national security threat' to the U.S. is false,” Wynne said in a news release.
“Canada and the U.S. are key allies and partners, and are integral to each other's national security.”
At the local level, Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano expressed “serious concern” about the tariff and the impact it would have on Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma region.
In a news release, the mayor said he has reached out to Kalyan Gosh, CEO at Algoma (formerly Essar Steel Algoma), Wynne, Sheehan and the Canadian Steel Producers Association to offer the city’s help and support in the lobby effort against the tariffs.
“Applying a tariff on Canadian steel entering the U.S. market is a bad idea. It is bad for both the Canadian economy and the U.S. economy. It is bad for the Canadian steel market. It is bad for the balanced and complementary trade relationship in steel that Canada and the U.S. share,” Provenzano said in the release.
“The city will work with and support Algoma, our provincial government, our federal government and the Canadian Steel Producers Association to oppose the tariffs and to ensure a more productive and mutually beneficial position prevails.”
In a separate release, the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce noted that it has been working with the steel-producing communities of Hamilton and Windsor-Essex to push for a Canadian exemption to the tariffs.
Calling Trump’s announcement a “hastily announced call for tariffs,” the Chamber called for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get directly involved in the issue and take immediate steps to ensure that “Canada does not become the dumping ground for non-market economy steel and aluminum once foreign producers begin to look for new opportunities for their product as the door to the U.S. closes on them.”
Based in Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma is a fully integrated steel producer, manufacturing hot and cold rolled steel sheet and plate products for the manufacturing, automotive, construction, mining, energy, ship, rail and military industries.
