-
- 19.02.2026
Reacting to New Tariff Measures: Conversation with the Canadian Steel Industry
# Steel sector praises new tariff measures, but says more needs to be done
Canada’s steel industry expresses mixed feelings about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s latest initiatives. While described as a supportive move, the industry calls for further action to overcome remaining hurdles.
PM Carney introduced the new measures specifically designed to enable steel and lumber producers to discover and penetrate Canada’s untapped domestic markets. Enhanced foreign steel quotas and lower freight rates for materials crossing provincial borders characterize these measures.
Catherine Cobden, CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, lends her voice to the discussion. While she acknowledges the measures’ potential to stimulate improvement, she stressed that these alone cannot offset the damage from losing the U.S. market.
Cobden further explores the industry’s disappointment tied to the extension of the remission program for some steel importers. This decision, in her view, undercuts Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. steel.
In response, Cobden pledge to hold the federal government accountable under the new measures with assurance that the contentious remission program will ultimately cease.
