As Trump hikes steel tariffs, industry urges ‘action’ in Ottawa meetings

The Canadian Steel Producers Association and union group leaders are meeting with the federal government in Ottawa on Thursday to discuss the latest tariff escalation by the U.S.

The Canadian Steel Producers Association and union group leaders are visiting Ottawa on Thursday to “urge” the federal government to respond to higher steel and aluminum tariffs from the U.S. with “immediate action.”

This comes just after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on his tariff policy by increasing levies from 25 per cent to 50 per cent on Wednesday, specifically targeting imports of steel and aluminum products.

Prime Minister Mark Carney called the escalation “illegal.”

In a statement, the Canadian Steel Producers Association said the government “must immediately implement new tariffs at our own borders to stem the flow of unfairly traded steel from entering Canada and cannibalizing our industry.”

The statement also describes how at the prior tariff rate the industry “saw significant layoffs, curtailed investments and a significant drop of shipments to the United States.”

With the tariffs increased to 50 per cent, the group says, “the U.S. market is effectively closed to Canadian steel, leaving billions of dollars of Canadian steel without a market.”

The statement is also urging the government “to protect our industry” by fully re-instating retaliatory tariffs on steel imports from the U.S. and matching their escalation.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the U.S. move “unfortunate” on Wednesday and said he wants to see “tariff-for-tariff, dollar-for-dollar” retaliation and a matching retaliatory tariff put in place.