Can trade ties survive tariffs?

On January 10th, a newly formed Canada-U.S. Trade Council was formed. It is meant to smooth over growing trade tensions, inspired by the tariff threat, but skepticism is already running high. A service center I spoke with dismissed the council outright, saying, “The bios are heavy on politicians, which means little will be accomplished.” It’s a sentiment echoed by others in the industry, who see the council as more posturing than problem solving.

Meanwhile, markets are already feeling the effects of uncertainty. Aluminum pricing and availability, critical to U.S. industries, have taken a hit as fears of Trump’s proposed tariffs ripple across the supply chain. If these tariffs move forward, the long-standing trade ties between the two countries could degrade further, leaving businesses scrambling for alternatives. Need I remind you that the is the largest supplier of aluminum to the U.S. is Canada. The U.S. International Trade Association (ITA) reported that 56% of aluminum imports into the U.S. from 2023-2025 came from Canada.