Canadian Aluminum Sales to US at Risk as New Tariffs Increase Costs

Published: Sep 17, 2026 09:48 (GMT+8)

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[SMM Aluminum Express News] Canadian aluminum fabricators are warning that sales to the US could effectively disappear after additional US tariffs took effect on September 15, further increasing the cost of Canadian aluminum products entering the market. British Columbia-based Apex Aluminum Extrusions, which previously generated more than 40% of its sales from the US, expects those exports to fall to zero. CEO Darren McQueen said the latest measures can result in an effective tariff of around 100% of the product’s selling price, as new Section 338 duties are stacked on top of existing Section 232 tariffs. The impact is much more severe for Canadian downstream aluminum producers than for primary aluminum smelters. The US remains structurally dependent on Canadian primary metal, requiring around 4 million tonnes/year of aluminum imports, while Canada can supply roughly 3 million tonnes. Fabricated products such as extrusions, however, face greater competition and can be substituted more easily, making it much harder for Canadian processors to pass the additional tariff cost to US customers.

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