Canada preparing steel quotas and tariffs on China and other suppliers to ward off dumping following Trump’s trade war
The government hopes to protect against a surge of imports that might come from global producers trying to evade US tariffs
The Canadian government is preparing new measures to prevent a potential flood of steel imports from China and other global producers seeking to avoid US tariffs, people familiar with the plans said on Tuesday.
The measures are said to be a combination of quotas and tariffs aimed at certain countries including China, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is not public.
The moves follow similar “safeguard” measures being considered by the European Union intended to ward off steel products that might otherwise have been sent to the US. They come alongside Canadian counter-tariffs on US steel, aluminium and other products that are set to take effect on Sunday.
The steps intensify the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s trade fight, in particular new US tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium that hit Canada, the EU and other nations. The moves have prompted retaliation from the US’s biggest trading partners.
The Canadian measures are expected to include new quotas on certain steel imports to prevent dumping, with tariffs applied above that threshold, the people said. The announcement could come as early as next week, though the government has not yet finished its plans, the people said.