MONTREAL – Mayors of Quebec aluminum towns are confident their regions can withstand the 25 per cent tariffs imposed on the metal by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Denis Miousse, mayor of Sept-Îles in the Côte-Nord region, says he isn’t expecting job losses because Aluminerie Alouette, a major aluminum producer based in the town, can easily pivot its exports to Asia from the U.S.
About 170 kilometres southwest in Baie-Comeau, Que., Mayor Michel Desbiens says his town isn’t panicking, adding that Trump’s tariffs will lead to price increases on both sides of the border for products composed of aluminum.
Earlier this week Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all aluminum and steel entering the U.S., leading to retaliatory tariffs by Canada of 25 per cent on $29.8 billion worth of American goods.
Patrick Bouillé, mayor of Deschambault-Grondines, Que., southwest of Quebec City, says aluminum jobs in his town haven’t been affected, adding that the U.S. needs the high-grade aluminum that Quebec supplies.
Quebec is the continent’s biggest producer of aluminum, with 30,000 people employed in the sector.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2025.
