Sisi Chan

Steel sector praises new tariff measures, but says more needs to be done

The head of Canada’s steel industry association has expressed some resentment towards Prime Minister Mark Carney’s package of measures designed to boost the Canadian domestic market facing U.S. tariffs.

Carney announced new measures Wednesday primarily including tighter quotas on foreign steel entering Canada and lower freight rates for materials crossing provincial borders by rail.

However, Canadian Steel Producers Association CEO Catherine Cobden says these measures may not fully compensate for lost access to the U.S. market but welcomes them as a positive step.

She also expresses disappointment on behalf of the industry concerning a second extension announcement by Ottawa to Canada’s remission program that weakens Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. steel.

Cobden asserts she’ll hold the federal government accountable regarding wrapping up the remission program at the end of January, promising to ensure this occurs more than three months after the original deadline.