3 May 2002

Request for Removal of Tariff on Sodium Carbonate for use in Refining Materials

The Department of Finance has received a request for removal of the tariff on sodium carbonate for use in refining minerals.

Sodium carbonate, commercially known as soda ash, is used to remove alkalinity from the solution used in a mineral refinement process.

The product is classified under tariff item No. 2836.20.00 and is dutiable at 6.5 per cent under the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) Tariff. There is also a General Preferential Tariff (GPT) rate of 3 per cent for this product.

The applicant claims that this product is not available from Canadian sources, and that tariff relief would assist it to compete more effectively.

Members with an interest in this request should contact Ms. Shezara Ali in Domestic Tariff Affairs at 613-992-4418, or fax at 613-992-6761, by June 17, 2002.