Industry calls Trump’s move unnecessary

TORONTO — Canada’s manufacturing industry is deeply frustrated by the U.S. government’s decision to impose tariffs on Canadian aluminum and the uncertainty it creates for the sector.

Experts and industry groups representing companies whose supply chains rely heavily on aluminum say the 10 per cent tariff U.S. President Donald Trump announced is “unjustified and unnecessary.”

“It’s very disheartening that the U.S. would take this action,” said Dennis Darby, chief executive of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, which represents more than 2,500 manufacturers. “The last thing that any industry needs right now is extra costs.”

He fears the tariffs will have a negative impact on efforts to restore the Canadian and American economies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and will drive up prices for consumers because aluminum is a key component of many manufactured goods and supply chains.

“Manufacturers are saying this is going to increase my costs because I’m not sure, in this COVID-19 environment, if prices can go up because consumer demand is so fragile right now,” said Darby. “This puts a lot of uncertainty in the system.”

The Canadian aluminum industry employs about 10,000 workers and is the largest supplier of aluminum to the U.S, Darby said.