Sisi Chan

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

The head of Canada’s steel industry association expressed disappointment in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s measures to boost the domestic industry amidst tension with US tariffs.

Carney announced new measures Wednesday

Prime Minister Mark Carney is taking actions to aid steel and lumber producers. This involves setting tighter quotas on foreign steel entering Canada and a pledge to reduce freight rates for materials crossing provincial borders by rail.

Canadian Steel Producers Association CEO Catherine Cobden

Catherine Cobden, CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, holds that though the measures are a step in the right direction, they have not fully compensated for the loss of the U.S. market.

She says the industry was disappointed to see Ottawa announce a second extension

Conveying the industry’s discontent, Cobden points at Ottawa’s decision to extend Canada’s remission program. This action weakens Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. steel. Cobden expresses an intention to hold the government accountable.