‘It’s been good for us’: Canadian steel supplier says tariffs have increased their business

Canadian Metal Buildings says U.S. tariffs have positively impacted their business.

Canadian Metal Buildings is a Canadian steel company, based out of Stoney Creek, Ont., that has been around for 60 years. They supply, manufacture, produce and build metal buildings.

“Our specialty really is pre-engineered metal buildings,” says Robb Cusack, Canadian Metal Buildings Atlantic Canada sales manager.

He says they supply and work with conventional steel as well as pre-engineered metal buildings.

“Which are anything really from a house, barndominium, all the way up to a complete industrial building,” adds Cusack.

When heavy U.S tariffs were placed on steel, they were worried about the impact it would have on their business.

“There is always that uncertainty, how is this going to affect us? I mean I think steel prices go up; they go down a little bit, it’s like every commodity. But at the end of the day, if you are going to support and build in Canada you might as well use Canadian-made products,” says Cusack.

But to this company’s surprise, their sales actually went up and business is doing well.

“It’s been good for us. I mean I think uncertainty generally is what nobody wants, so our business is actually pretty stable because of the tariffs. In fact, we have seen an increase, an uptick in builders wanting to use our Canadian metal buildings,” explains Cusack.

Cusack says Canada is loaded with resources and steel is just one of those.

“Whether it’s made in the U.S., processed in the U.S., and then shipped back to us, it really doesn’t make sense – why wouldn’t you just buy it from Canada and Canadian suppliers to begin with," says Cusack.

Others have a similar mindset, which Cusack says has been the reason for the increase in business.

“Financial benefit I guess is increased business rights and that’s great for our industry as well, not just the company but the Canadian steel industry,” says Cusack.

While some Canadian companies are gaining more customers as a result of the tariff battle, the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction says not all are.

In a statement from the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, president and CEO Keanin Loomis explains the tariffs on steel products will be harmful to the industry.

“President Trump’s actions to escalate his unnecessary trade war by doubling steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent all but cut off the Canada – U.S. supply chain of steel products. Losing the American market will immediately harm steel fabricators, producers, and steel construction and manufacturing on both sides of the border. Tens of thousands of North American jobs are at stake over the weeks ahead if no action is taken,” says Loomis.

Loomis urges the federal government to take action to protect the industry.

“We need action now to protect jobs while helping Canada’s steel businesses survive this attack. Long-term solutions are needed, but if large swathes of the industry cannot survive the latest broadside, future actions will be in vain,” said Loomis.