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Active US imposes 25% Tariffs on Canadian Steel & Aluminum

Category: 🔩Steel/Aluminum
Scope: National Policy
Origin: US
Target: Canada

Effective: March 12, 2025

Est. Cost: Estimated $3–4 billion in U.S. added input costs annually; 15 billion Canadian dollars in lost Canadian exports

Impacted Jobs: 10000 - Thousands of layoffs in Canada’s metal sector tied to export losses

Description:

Re-imposition of 25% tariffs on all Canadian steel and aluminum exports to the U.S., effective March 12, 2025. This ended prior quota exemptions, meaning Canadian metal exports once again face full duties. Announced as part of Trump's broader global metals tariffs under national security, with no country exemptions.
Impacts:
  • Raised U.S. steel and aluminum prices
  • Layoffs at Canadian mills and smelters
  • Wider inflation in metal-dependent manufacturing
Causes Retaliation:
Analysis:

The U.S. metals tariff offers narrow benefits to steelmakers at the expense of a larger manufacturing base. The result is net job loss and higher costs to U.S. consumers and industries. For Canada, it’s a major economic blow, triggering large-scale retaliation and intensifying trade tensions.

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