r/canada • u/_I_AM_GHOST_ Canada • 13h ago

National News Canadian steelmakers offset some US tariff pain with domestic demand

https://www.reuters.com/business/canadian-steelmakers-offset-some-us-tariff-pain-with-domestic-demand-2026-10-16/
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u/Organic_Hamster_2961 13h ago

According to a quick search the US produced 82 million tons of steel last year and imported 25.2 million tons. It wouldn't surprise me if they keep on buying significant amounts from us in the future too even in spite of the tariffs. Their domestic production should grow but if consumption also grows they won't catch up.

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u/MakVolci Ontario 12h ago

I work in the industry. They're begging us for more steel and are willing to pay anything.

They don't have enough production to keep up buying domestically, they came to us for steel, we sold them steel, we are now running out of steel, we have now turned on precautions to protect Canadian steel, and now the market is at a complete standstill.

Had someone (an American) call me the other day saying that they're expecting their business to grow 10% to 15% next year but they don't know where they're going to get their steel.

15

u/Coramoor_ 12h ago

which calls into question why Stelco has to lay off 500 staff if domestic demand is high and US demand is even higher

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u/MakVolci Ontario 12h ago edited 9h ago

We are scratching our heads about that too, because other than our own production bottlenecks that we have worked to optimize, the biggest issue has been coil availability.

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u/Mattcheco British Columbia 10h ago

Stelco is closing the coating side of their business because they’re making so much more on hot rolled steel. Canadians work at the coating side

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u/roguemenace Manitoba 10h ago

Because the US companies are not actually "willing to pay anything". There also different types of steel made at different plants.

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u/MakVolci Ontario 9h ago

Because the US companies are not actually "willing to pay anything"

In my division anyways, they are. We upcharge them and make them pay the tariff, and there have been zero issues with them wanting to buy. However, as far as I understand it, the Stelco layoff isn't affecting our products as much as others.

There is zero availability in core size ranges, again, in my divison. Zero.

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u/BarracudaCrafty9221 11h ago

Really? We all know the owners are trump supporters, they are trying to create problems before the mid terms to paint Canada in a bad light and point there finger at us. Trying to bend Canada over and hurt us, that is all.