Agenda Number: 15.3.
Resolution Number 2025-071
Title: Canada Metal Processing Group - Announcement on steps to respond to U.S. tariff
threats on the steel sector
Date: February 27, 2025
Moved By: Paul Emile Duval
Seconded By: Michel Lalonde
Whereas maintaining a healthy domestic steel manufacturing industry and its customer base, who transform steel into steel products, is critical to the economic stability of an independent and autonomous sovereign nation; and
Whereas Steel is a foundational industry to produce core products and infrastructure for essential industries e.g., defence, energy supply both fossil fuels and green energy, majority of industrial manufacturing e.g., automotive, transport, heavy equipment and essential for housing and infrastructure construction; and
Whereas the Heico Companies’ Canada Metal Processing Group (“MPG Canada”) operates three businesses (Ivaco Rolling Mills, Sivaco, and Infasco) over 6 manufacturing sites in Quebec and Ontario and employs approximately 1600 individuals. The organization operates a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace (EAF) steel plant and billet caster, a two-strand rod mill, a rod processing facility, two wire mills, a bolt manufacturing facility, a nut manufacturing facility and a steel fastener coating facility. MPG Canada strives to offer the best customer experience by delivering high-value and sustainably engineered steel products across North America; and
Whereas, in the face of U.S. tariff threats, and as the Canadian Steel Producer Association (CSPA) members have been advocating, MPG Canada calls on the Canadian government to be prepared to react quickly to safeguard the long-term viability of Canadian steel product manufacturers, and the collective job security of its employees.
Be it resolved that the Township of Champlain supports The Canada Metal Processing Group (“MPG Canada”) in its request to the Canadian Government to immediately:
- Prepare to implement matching retaliatory tariff measures without any consultation delay;
- Provide support for workers and businesses during this economic crisis;
- Prevent the ever-increasing unfairly traded imports from other countries into Canada and protect the
domestic industry by instituting broad Section 53 surtaxes, without any possible exemptions; - Promote buying Canadian steel, with its much lower carbon intensity than imports; and
- Work in collaboration with the U.S. to create an aligned North American steel trade market for melted and poured North American steel.
Be it further resolved that this Resolution be circulated to:
- The Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister of Canada),
- The Hon. Melanie Joly (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada),
- The Hon. Nate Erskine-Smith (Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Canada),
- Premier of Ontario,
- Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade,
- Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing,
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM),
- Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO),
- Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA),
- Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus,
- The Hon. Francis Drouin, MP - Glengarry-Prescott-Russell,
- Member of Provincial Parliament, MPP – Glengarry-Prescott-Russell,
- The Canadian Steel Producer Association,• MPG Canada,
- The Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and
- All of Ontario's municipalities.