Steelworkers union says incoming doubling of tariffs will be devastating

Saskatchewan's steel and aluminum industry is under threat once again, with U.S. President Donald Trump's doubling of tariffs on their products set to come into effect Wednesday.

Canada is the largest steel supplier to the United States, accounting for almost 25 per cent of all U.S. steel imports in 2023.

The existing 25 per cent levy on steel and aluminum, imposed in March, has already put a strain on Canadian metal producers and other industries throughout the metal supply chain. Now that number is scheduled to move to 50 per cent on Wednesday.

Scott Lunny, District 3 director for United Steelworkers, said the increase is going to be devastating for the industry.

"We've already seen declines in steel exports to the US of almost 30 per cent, and I think something like 25 per cent in aluminum, already up to April of this year," Lunny said.

He said the government needs to double down on countermeasures to get the tariffs lessened or removed completely. At the same time, there needs to be an increase in domestic demand for steel and aluminum to "keep people working and keep those mills producing."

While tariffs have a place in the economy, there needs to be unity on both sides of the border to protect North America's domestic industry from unfair trade, Lunny said.

"Canada is not the problem," he said.

"If we want to protect our domestic industry, we have to be working as Canadians and Americans to protect the North American production and supply chain and steel, aluminum, and many other industries against unfair trade from other other players around the world."

Lunny said Trump's tariffs hurt working people and their families most.

"If people lose their jobs or there's uncertainty or they don't have security in their employment and their income, that's damaging to our whole society," he said.

"This industry's been through that kind of thing in the past. And, you know, I think it will survive. But we really need leadership from the federal government."

Sask. Opposition calls for infrastructure spending

Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP has also called on the federal government to prioritize building more projects in the province and across the country.

As the first ministers' meetings proceeded in Saskatoon on Monday, the Sask. NDP urged the premiers to support several new investments to strengthen the province's market.

Those investments include:

• Expanding rail and port capacity and ensuring rapid, reliable movement of agricultural and mining products to market.

• A pipeline to the East Coast to carry western oil and gas to new markets in Europe.

• Twinning Highway 1 from coast to coast so truckers can move their goods across Canada without entering the United States. 

• Expanding and improving electrical transmission lines to sell Saskatchewan-generated power to the rest of Canada and other markets.

"We should bet on Saskatchewan and build Canada," Aleana Young, Saskatchewan NDP MLA for Regina South Albert, said.

"The local business owners and the steelworkers that I've spoken to know first hand that depending too much on the United States makes us vulnerable to tariffs, trade disputes and job losses."