Steel and Aluminum Industry

In question period, members asked about the impact of U.S. tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum industries. Conservatives said downstream aluminum producers are being hurt while American aluminum enters Canada, noted the industry sent a plan to the finance minister months ago without a reply, and raised rising steel costs for homebuilders amid the housing shortage. Liberals responded that the U.S. tariffs are punitive but Canada is supporting its aluminum and steel businesses, which they called crucial to Canadian sovereignty and to building ships, airplanes and homes, and pointed to buy-Canadian requirements and a record number of non-market homes funded last year.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

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6 statements

Dave Epp, Chatham-Kent—Leamington

Conservative
“The United States has put high taxes on our aluminum products, while Canada lets in record amounts of American aluminum. The industry minister needs to admit our aluminum businesses exist and protect them like he protects steel.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, for months, our aluminum extrusion industry has been sounding the alarm, yet just weeks ago, the industry minister could not even remember that the industry exists. The government calls aluminum and steel critical to Canada’s sovereignty and success, yet leaves downstream aluminum producers facing 100% U.S. tariffs going into the U.S. while allowing record volumes of U.S. imports into Canada. When will the minister publicly acknowledge the industry exists and protect the downstream aluminum industries just like they have steel?

Carlos Leitão, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Liberal
“A 100% tariff is unfair and ridiculous, but that is our reality with the United States. We are supporting our local aluminum and steel businesses. We need these industries to build our own ships and airplanes and protect Canada's sovereignty.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, 100% tariffs, that is punitive. That is ridiculous. That is the world we live in. That is the world we live in with the neighbour we have, with the neighbour that the Conservatives seem to like a lot. What are we doing? We are helping the local businesses in that industry, in aluminum, as we do with steel and other derivative products. It is important for us to keep those industries alive because we need them to build our ships, to build our airplanes and to make sure that we are sovereign in our own country.

Dave Epp, Chatham-Kent—Leamington

Conservative
“The Prime Minister failed to get a trade deal with the United States. Canadian aluminum businesses sent a plan to the Minister of Finance months ago, but she has not answered. They want a fair market to compete in, not handouts. When will the minister act on their plan before these businesses close down?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised a deal with that neighbour to the south that was just referenced. It is all talk and no results. The Leader of the Opposition and my Conservative colleagues recently visited Can Art Aluminum Extrusion in Windsor, Dajcor Aluminum in Chatham and eight other industry representatives. They are not asking for handouts or more debt. They are asking for a fair Canadian market to compete in. They submitted a proposal to the Minister of Finance in June 2026 and have yet to receive a response, despite the rhetoric from across the aisle. When will the Minister of Finance act to save this downstream industry before it is actually lost and our sovereign capabilities are gone forever?

Carlos Leitão, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Liberal

Linked statement

“Our steel and aluminum industry is crucial for Canada. That is why we are spending money to help it survive unfairly high foreign tariffs. The Conservatives say this spending causes inflation, but we need it to protect our businesses.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have also visited a number of companies in those industries in Quebec as well as in Ontario. That is an industry that is crucial to our sovereignty. We will keep that industry alive. That is where our spending goes. The Conservatives keep saying it is inflationary spending. That is where our money goes, to making sure our industries stay alive. We are facing an attack from outside with 100% tariffs. That makes no sense. We have to stay alive throughout this period. That is what we are doing. That is what the regional initiative on tariff relief is all about, and we will continue to maintain it.

Connie Cody, Cambridge

Conservative
“We cannot fix the housing crisis if builders cannot get the materials they need. High steel prices are putting jobs at risk and slowing down homebuilding. The Liberals broke their promise to build more homes. I want the government to give builders relief on the cost of building materials.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canada’s housing crisis will not be solved if builders cannot get the materials they need. A building supplier in my community says jobs are at risk because rising steel costs are hurting roof truss production. No trusses means no roofs. No roofs means fewer homes. The Liberals promised to double homebuilding, yet only 2,000 homes are under construction, and now they are failing to make homebuilding more affordable. When will these Liberals give builders relief on this deal that holds Canadian homes together?

Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

Liberal
“Our government makes sure that the homes we fund use Canadian materials. We funded over 8,000 non-market homes last year, a record high. The Conservatives should support our buy-Canadian rules and affordable housing instead of attacking our industries.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, our government is taking action on buy Canadian with all of the housing that we are financing. We are financing a significant amount of housing. Last year, over 8,000 non-market homes were built, which is a record of many decades. We are seeing a big scale-up in rental housing. The builders across Canada are using Canadian materials increasingly. We need to support that. We could use support from the Conservatives for buy Canadian rather than taking pot-shots at our own industries and not supporting affordable housing.

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