U.S. President Donald Trump said he will announce on Monday that the United States will impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada and Mexico, as well as other import duties later in the week.
“Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25 per cent tariff,” he told reporters Sunday on Air Force One as he flew from Florida to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl. When asked about aluminum, he responded, “aluminum, too” will be subject to the trade penalties.
Trump also reaffirmed that he would announce “reciprocal tariffs” —”probably Tuesday or Wednesday” — meaning that the U.S. would impose import duties on products in cases where another country has levied duties on U.S. goods.
“If they are charging us 130 per cent and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way,” he told reporters.
CBC has reached out to Global Affairs Canada for comment.
Speaking on Metro Morning, the manager of Toronto’s Conquest Steel says local manufacturers need government support to protect jobs as U.S. contracts get pulled.
Trump initially threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products on Feb. 1 due to border security issues around fentanyl and illegal immigration, prompting the two countries to order retaliatory levies.
On Feb. 3, both Canada and Mexico were granted reprieves of at least 30 days from the threat being realized after both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum talked to Trump about their respective border plans.
Canada’s plan includes $1.3 billion in spending, first announced in December, on enhanced border security, including patrols with helicopters, and the creation of a “fentanyl czar,” who will work with U.S. counterparts in combating the toxic drug crisis.
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