China extends tariff relief for Canadian canola, lobster and crab

The head of Canada’s aluminum industry, Jean Simard, believes the U.S. midterm elections could bring changes to the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the United States. Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association of Canada, stated that the election indicated American voters were unhappy with the economic consequences of U.S. trade policies.

This sentiment could put pressure on Washington to remove tariffs, according to Simard. Canada produces about 3.3 million tonnes of aluminum annually, with roughly 90 percent of its output exported to the United States. However, due to 50 percent U.S. tariffs, Canadian producers have been redirecting shipments to Europe, Simard explained.

Simard expressed optimism that the election results would encourage lawmakers to challenge President Donald Trump’s trade policies, potentially leading to new progress in Canada-U.S. negotiations. "The signal is overwhelmingly clearer than I thought it would be," Simard remarked. Meanwhile, Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, also hopes the election results will lead to a lasting trade deal with Canada.

He said the dispute has worsened affordability issues in border states and the Midwest, and 87 percent of Canadian small businesses want an agreement reached as soon as possible. However, Andreas Schotter, a professor of international business at Western University’s Ivey Business School, cautioned that Canadian companies should not anticipate a dramatic shift in U.S. trade policy.

"Even on the Democratic side, there's a strong 'America First' attitude," Schotter said. "For businesses, there's no immediate change; I don't see us going back to full CUSMA (Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement) anytime soon." The CUSMA replaced NAFTA in 2020. Schotter noted that the U.S. President Joe Biden retained most of the trade policies introduced during Trump’s first term.

The first Trump administration imposed 10 percent tariffs on aluminum imports in 2018, which Canada was initially exempt from. However, these tariffs were in place from June 2018 to May 2019 before being restored. Trump briefly reimposed tariffs on certain Canadian aluminum products in 2020 but restored the exemption before Biden took office.

That changed when Trump returned to the White House, imposing 25 percent tariffs on Canadian aluminum in March 2025, and later doubling them to 50 percent on June 4, 2025. Canada’s three major aluminum producers, Rio Tinto, Alcoa, and Aluminerie Alouette, continued fulfilling orders from American customers despite the tariffs and redirected shipments to Europe, Simard said.

Since March 2025, Canadian producers have exported around 800,000 tonnes of aluminum to Europe, compared to about 100,000 tonnes over a similar period under normal market conditions. Blair Dickerson, president and CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, said a change in the political landscape in Washington doesn't guarantee an immediate change in U.S. trade policy.

However, she expressed optimism that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent comments on Canada-U.S. trade talks progressing positively, and the government’s continued focus on achieving a fair deal for all Canadians. "Our priority remains clear: we need a fair and predictable trading relationship so that the Canadian steel sector can compete and grow," Dickerson said. This report was originally published by The Canadian Press on November 4, 2026.