Canadian steel producers are pleading with Ottawa for relief from U.S. import tariffs, with some companies saying Canada’s plan to introduce its own levies next month could further diminish their already battered bottom lines.

The comments came during House committee hearings in Ottawa Tuesday, where cash-flow-starved Canadian firms warned that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum had already stalled major capital investments in Canada, and could lead to widespread layoffs.

Conrad Winkler, the president and CEO of Evraz North America, said U.S. tariffs have had a “tremendous immediate impact” on the firm’s operations, and have even caused delays in U.S. pipeline projects, saying there has been a “reluctance” to ship large diameter pipe south of the border due to tariffs. The company has had to reconsider planned capital investments, he said.

The sentiment was shared by Sean Donnelly, the president and CEO of ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Canada’s largest steel producer, who said the firm is reviewing $750 million worth of potential investments, and could lay off 1,000 workers if Trump’s tariffs persist without support from Ottawa...

This was excerpted from the 26 June 2018 edition of the Financial Post.