U.S. Re-Imposes Tariffs on Aluminum From Canada, But Not Steel

The Trump administration in early August re-imposed Section 232 tariffs on aluminum imports from Canada, but spared steel from north of the border.

In an Aug. 6 presidential proclamation, President Trump stated that the secretary of commerce advised that, “aluminum articles were being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.” As a result, Trump restored the 10 percent tariffs on those imports that had been imposed in 2018 and lifted in 2019.

There had been concerns that steel imports from Canada would also be subjected to renewed tariffs.

An executive vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned that, “These tariffs will raise costs for American manufacturers, are opposed by most U.S. aluminum producers, and will draw retaliation against U.S. exports – just as they did before.”

The day after the proclamation was issued, Canada announced $2.7 billion in retaliatory tariffs on aluminum-related goods imported from the United States.