Canada
May 28, 2026
Final Thoughts: Steel Summit 2026, we've got you covered
Written by Ethan Bernard
Someone emailed me today to ask the likelihood that Section 232 steel tariffs on Canada and Mexico would be reduced. Unfortunately, that’s way above my paygrade. However, it does highlight a great reason to attend Steel Summit 2026 on Aug. 24-26.
I’m talking beyond the great networking opportunities, the chance to rub shoulders with the luminaries of the flat-rolled steel industry — and the sultry heat of Atlanta in summer.
Rather, it’s a great opportunity to show that what we write about at SMU, and what our readers care about, will be on full display at the conference.
Take USMCA, for example. For the North American steel industry, the question one of our readers emailed to me is a top-of-mind issue. And it’s very fluid as well. In today’s issue alone, I reported that the US and Mexico announced bilateral talks ahead of the joint review of the agreement scheduled to start in July.
And Canada? Well, Bloomberg has reported that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney used a speech in New York to urge the Trump administration “for closer cooperation on aluminum, auto manufacturing and critical minerals.” We’ll see what happens there.
In the lead-up to the formal negotiations, SMU is working with the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), and Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA). We’ll get their takes on the negotiations as they develop. Each group will be submitting a monthly column from now through July. (You can see the latest SMA contribution in today’s issue here.)
And at Summit, all three will share their views on USMCA in person — and they’ll take your questions too. Obviously, our news coverage will in the meantime be keeping you up to date with each twist and turn. Will there be a trilateral agreement, bilateral agreements on the side, or something else entirely? We will keep you posted.
The USMCA issue will no doubt be touched on by other speakers and panels as well. Here is by no means an exhaustive list of some of the angles the USMCA talks can be seen from.
Perhaps our keynote economists — Taylor St. Germain of ITR/Crowe, Anirban Basu of Sage Policy Group, and Gene Marks of The Marks Group — will investigate the larger implications of USMCA negotiations on the US economy and global trade.
Analysts like CRU’s Josh Spoores, Timna Tanners of Wells Fargo, and John Anton of S&P Global Market Intelligence, will no doubt touch on the agreement in their forecasts. At the end of the day, how could the new trade landscape affect the price of flat-rolled steel?
We’ll also be hearing from executives like Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries. Zekelman will share his candid thoughts on the agreement in a fireside chat. Born in Canada, and helming a pipe and tube business in Chicago, he has a very unique perspective.
As I said, these are just a few examples. And that’s just one issue. The Iran war, logistics, Section 232 tariffs (Section 301 tariffs too), the outlook for demand in key end markets… There’s really just so much to discuss. To get a full idea of what will be on offer at Steel Summit, you can click on the agenda here.
Finally, let’s not forget that some of the most useful insights you may get are from the people sitting next to you, or someone you run into during the cocktail hour. While there’s no way to predict what you’ll hear, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed, and you might just be surprised.
Hotels are filling up fast. And we don’t need to tell you that flight costs are creeping up every day. If you haven’t already, please register soon. (You can do so here). And we’ll see all of you at the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) in August! We can’t wait.
