July 16, 2025
Supreme Steel’s President and COO, David Fritz, recently appeared on CBC News to share his insights on how ongoing trade policy shifts are affecting Canada’s steel industry. In a conversation with CBC’s Hillary Johnstone, Fritz spoke on behalf of Canadian fabricators as the federal government rescinded the Digital Services Tax, opening the door for renewed trade talks with the United States.
Watch the full interview on CBC News
During the interview, Fritz explained how U.S. tariffs have impacted both sides of Supreme Steel’s business: sourcing raw steel shapes from the United States and exporting fabricated steel across the border. He emphasized the complications of having tariffs in place on both imports and exports, creating costly inefficiencies and delays—especially when materials like wide flange beams are unavailable from Canadian producers.
“We’ve enjoyed free trade with the U.S. for over 50 years,” said Fritz. “We truly believe we’re a fantastic trade partner and would like to see things return to the way they were before these tariffs disrupted long-standing relationships.”
Fritz noted that while Supreme has remained resilient—picking up increased domestic work in recent months—uncertainty around trade has created ripple effects across the industry. With Eastern Canadian fabricators facing diminished access to U.S. markets, competition for domestic projects is intensifying.
He also addressed the promise from Prime Minister Mark Carney to eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers by Canada Day, calling it a welcome step but warning of uneven market access.
“We trade quite freely in the West, but accessing Eastern Canada has been a challenge,” said Fritz. “We’re fully supportive of true, Canada-wide barrier-free trade.”
The interview offered a grounded perspective on the realities of international and inter-provincial policy from a leader with deep roots in Canada’s steel sector. As trade talks progress, Supreme Steel—and the broader fabrication industry—will be watching closely.
To learn more about how these developments are affecting steel fabrication in Canada, click here to watch the full CBC interview.