May 27, 2020 Ottawa, Ontario
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that it is launching an investigation to determine whether certain hot-rolled carbon steel heavy plate and high-strength low-alloy steel heavy plate from the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (Chinese Taipei), Germany, South Korea, Malaysia, and Turkey are being sold at unfair prices in Canada.
The investigation is the result of a complaint filed by Algoma Steel Inc. located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and is supported by SSAB Central Inc. and Janco Steel Ltd. The complainant alleges that the Canadian industry is facing an increase in the volume of the allegedly dumped imports, suppression of market share, lost sales, price undercutting, price depression, underutilization of capacity, threat to continuous investments, and impacted financial results.
The CBSA and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) both play a role in investigations. The CITT will begin a preliminary inquiry to determine whether the imports are harming Canadian producers and will issue a decision by July 24, 2020. Concurrently, the CBSA will investigate whether the imports are being sold in Canada at unfair prices, and will make a preliminary decision by August 25, 2020.
Currently, there are 119 special import measures in force, covering a wide variety of industrial and consumer products, from steel products to refined sugar. These measures have directly helped to protect the Canadian economy and jobs in Canada.
Quick facts
- The subject goods are certain hot-rolled carbon steel heavy plate and high-strength low-alloy steel heavy plate. For more product information, please refer to the CBSA’s website.
- Heavy plate is commonly used in the production of rail cars, oil and gas storage tanks, heavy machinery, agricultural equipment, bridges, industrial buildings, high-rise office towers, ships and barges, and pressure vessels.
- A copy of the Statement of Reasons, which provides more details about these investigations, will be available on the CBSA’s website within 15 days.
- As of December 31, 2017, special import measures have directly helped to protect 31,000 Canadian jobs and $12 billion in Canadian production.