Following last week’s announcement of new measures to protect Canadian steel and aluminum industries, the Canadian Government announced the implementation of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) on imports of steel mill products from non-free trade agreement (FTA) partners, effective June 27, 2025.
The TRQs, set at 2.6 million tonnes, will result in a 50 per cent surtax being applied on steel imports above 2024 levels from non-FTA partners.
This measure is meant to stabilize the Canadian market and prevent harmful diversion of foreign steel from third countries into Canada while minimizing impacts on Canadian importers and downstream users.
The TRQs will be administered on the basis of five steel product categories: flat, long, pipe and tube, semi-finished, and stainless steel (see Schedule 1 in this link).
The list of “free trade agreement partners” (countries of origin excluded from this measure) is in Schedule 2 in this link.
Upon imports of the specified steel products from non-FTA partner countries, Canadian importers will have to obtain a shipment-specific import permit to declare the importation is under the TRQ and is not subject to the surtax. Once the total 2024 levels have been reached the 50 per cent surtax will apply.
Links:
– Customs Notice 25-24 Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods
– Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods
– GAC Notice to importers: Item 82 – Steel goods. Procedures governing the administration of tariff-rate quotas for certain steel goods that are listed in item 82 on the Import Control List
