In an effort to prevent Moscow from receiving funds to support its conflict in Ukraine, Canada on Friday declared a ban on the importation of Russian steel and aluminum products.
Almost $250 million Canadian ($180 million US) worth of imports were made in 2021, according to the most recent official statistics.
The ban comes as a 200 percent tariff on Russian aluminum imports imposed last month by the United States came into force, and after the EU already 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 in a statement.
“And now, we are ensuring (President Vladimir) Putin cannot pay for his war by selling aluminum and steel in Canada, in coordination with action taken by the United States today.”
Russian unwrought metal, aluminum sheets, and finished goods made of aluminum, such as containers and other household objects, are all subject to the ban.
All main Russian steel products, including iron and non-alloy steel, as well as semi-finished and finished goods like tubes and pipes, are also forbidden.
Nearly 45% of US steel exports go to Canada, where the majority of steel imports originate from, and nearly 90% of Canada’s aluminum production goes to its southern neighbor.
