Canadian Steel Group Calls for Govt Action on Imports
March 8, 2023
The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) has called on their government for action against rising offshore imports and to support the domestic steel industry.
“Canadian steel producers are a critical component of the economy supporting workers and communities right across our country,” Catherine Cobden, president and CEO of CSPA, said in a statement on March 7.
“At the very time we are investing in real action to reduce climate emissions by at least 6 million tonnes by 2030, we are losing market share to high-carbon, offshore steel at an unprecedented rate,” she added.
CSPA noted that since 2014 offshore imports into Canada have increased greatly, rising from 19% to 39% of their market in 2022.
“Canadian producers continue to be undercut by countries with a history of unfair trade practices,” CSPA said. “In 2022 alone, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of steel came from countries with active anti-dumping cases against them.”
The group also highlighted that though “Canadian steel is amongst the greenest steel in the world,” more climate investments need to be made.
“While we appreciate the partnerships fostered to date, it must be recognized that the US and other governments are moving aggressively to attract climate investments and support its industries,” Cobden said.
The Inflation Reduction Act in the US was named as an example.
She said CSPA is calling on the Canadian government “to adopt an industrial strategy that is comprehensive in investment supports, prioritizes the use of today’s lower-carbon steel, takes additional steps to further improve our trade defenses, and maintains carbon pricing regimes in a manner that enable rather than threaten decarbonization investments in Canada.”
Last month, CSPA made eight detailed recommendations to the Government of Canada for Budget 2023 to respond to challenges from high-carbon imports and the global race to attract climate investment.
By Ethan Bernard, ethan@steelmarketupdate.com