Canada announced on Friday that it will ban imports of Russian aluminium and steel products, aiming to cut off revenue that Moscow uses to fund its war in Ukraine. According to the latest government data, these imports were worth almost Can$250 million (US$180 million) in 2021.
The ban follows the United States’ recent implementation of a 200 percent tariff on Russian aluminium and comes after the European Union blocked Russian steel products last year. “Canada, and our partners, have already sanctioned the Russian Central Bank and capped the price of Russian oil and gas,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said. “Now we are ensuring President Vladimir Putin cannot pay for his war by selling aluminium and steel in Canada, in coordination with action taken by the United States today.”
The prohibition applies to Russian unwrought aluminium, aluminium sheets, and finished items such as containers and other household goods made from aluminium. It also covers all primary Russian steel products, including iron and non‑alloy steel, semi‑finished and finished items such as tubes and pipes.
Most of Canada’s steel imports come from the United States, which accounts for nearly 45 percent of U.S. steel exports, while almost 90 percent of Canada’s aluminium production is shipped to its southern neighbour.
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