Canada Responds to U.S. with Aluminum Surtax

Canada Responds to U.S. With Aluminum Surtax

Effective August 16, 2020, the United States (U.S.) applied a 10% tariff on imports of certain aluminum products imported from Canada.

In response, the Government of Canada has issued a notice stating they will countermeasure with their own 10% surtax on imports of aluminum and aluminum-containing products from the U.S.

The Canadian surtax on U.S. aluminum products was to come into effect on September 16, 2020. However, on September 15, the United States announced it would remove its tariff.

UPDATE: U.S. Drops Tariffs After Canada Retaliates

Items Targeted for 10% Aluminum Surtax

The 10% aluminum tariff will be applied to imported products listed under Table 1 in the notice from the Department of Finance. Although all products containing aluminum are affected, the listing includes items such as:

Bicycles, other cycles, bicycle wheels
Fixed capacitors
Golf clubs
Hockey sticks, playground equipment, bats, and other sports & physical exercise related goods
Monopods, bipods, tripods
Metal furniture
Refrigerators
Laundry washing machines
All articles and products made of aluminum
All aluminum raw materials, such as ore, bars, rods, sheets, strips, wire, pipe fittings, etc.

Please refer to Table 1 for the full listing.

Industry Feedback

As the introduction of this surtax will affect products that Canadian businesses regularly import, the Department of Finance is inviting importers to express their support for or concerns with the proposed countermeasures.

To submit your feedback, you may send written comments and general inquiries to Finance Canada by email at [email protected] by September 6, 2020.

Your email should include, at a minimum, the following information:

Name of Canadian company / industry association and contact person.
Relevant eight-digit tariff item(s) and description of the goods of particular interest.
Reasons for the expressed support for, or concern with, the proposed countermeasures, including detailed information substantiating any expected beneficial or adverse impact.
Please identify if information provided in the submission is commercially sensitive.

Ensure you include the term “Aluminum Countermeasures” in the subject line.