Canada’s steel output falls 15% in May as US tariffs reshape trade flows

Canada’s steel production dropped sharply in May, falling 15% year over year and running 14% lower year-to-date, according to Earth-i’s Savant Global Monitoring Index. May’s production totaled just under 900,000 metric tons.

The y/y and YTD declines follow the 2025 Section 232 universal 50% tariff and the 2026 updates on derivative steel. These measures sharply reduced exports to the US, with Canadian shipments falling 31% in 2025. They are down “a whopping” 55% YTD through March 2026, Earth-i’s report says, citing US International Trade Administration data.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.