Canadian steel companies stand on guard against tariffs: Steel advocates warn the heavy lifting against U.S. protectionist measures not over.

• Position: SAULT STE. MARIE

The head of an industry group representing Canadian steelmakers is remaining vigilant about foreign-dumped product coming into Canada and being diverted into the U.S.

The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) issued a March 8 news release welcoming Canada's exemption from the tariffs announced by the Trump administration in response to the Section 232 investigation on The Effect of Imports of Steel on the National Security.

The association called the exemption "positive news" for Canadian steel companies.

"We continue to support the dialogue between Canadian and U.S. governments to ensure our integrated markets remain open and that our respective supply chains collectively grow, while continuing to address global steel excess capacity issues.

"We do remain concerned about potential diversion of offshore steel to the Canadian market as a result of Section 232 related actions."

That's a big break for Sault Ste. Marie-based Essar Steel Algoma, a maker of hot and cold-rolled sheet and plate that's exported to the U.S., mainly for the auto industry.

Algoma is also a huge producer and exporter of armour plate to the U.S.

CPSA president Joe Galimberti thanked Ottawa for its lobbying efforts on the file and urged the government to ensure the North American market is "effectively defended from unfairly traded steel."

A Washington-imposed 25 per cent tariff would have been disastrous for the integrated North American steel market.

In 2017, 11 million tonnes of steel crossed the border, in both directions, between the two countries, according to the...