Regina steelworkers feeling ‘relieved’ as U.S. lifts tariffs

Saskatchewan steelworkers are celebrating Friday’s announcement that Canada and the U.S. have reached an agreement that will see the Americans lift steel and aluminum tariffs.

Mike Day, president of United Steelworkers 5890, said that when the news started trickling in to Evraz employees over the lunch hour, so did a sense of job security.

“They are happy that a lot of stress is being relieved,” he said. “We can now get our product down to the United States; hopefully that alleviates some issues and keeps the hiring process going.”

Denis Litalien, senior manager of engineering at Evraz in Regina, didn’t speak to any specific job or contract losses the steel mill has encountered since the U.S. slapped the tariffs on nearly a year ago. However, he did mention business has been “severely affected” since then with many of the company’s mills running at lower production levels.

“A lot of our orders in 2018 were destined for the U.S., and all of those tonnes of pipe that went across the border — once the tariffs were applied, it was applied to those products,” he explained. “It had a very significant impact.”

As soon as the tariffs were dropped, Litalien noted his salespeople began fielding calls again with U.S. pipeline companies inquiring about Evraz steel.

“We’re very optimistic that things will change soon,” he said. “I think (the lifting of tariffs) will have a very significant impact on all of the employees here in Regina, and I think that will have a significant ripple effect throughout the city of Regina and the province.”

At a news conference Friday afternoon, Regina Mayor Michael Fougere thanked the federal government — especially Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland — for its work in getting rid of what Fougere called the “unfair and unconscionable” tariffs imposed down south.

“This has been a detriment to our economy and certainly goes against free trade,” Fougere said. “The removal of this today is going to be great news for the 1,000-plus workers that live in Regina.”

In a written statement released shortly after the news broke, Premier Scott Moe seemed equally as pleased.

“The removal of tariffs from our steel and aluminum products is a good step in strengthening jobs and economic growth, and removes barriers to Canada’s relationship with our most significant trading partner,” he said in a media release.

“Canada’s steel is among the most sustainably produced in the world, and we in Saskatchewan are proud that our steel products are an integral part of so many industries across North America.”

The tariffs are expected to be lifted within 48 hours.