On Friday, Canada banned imports of aluminum and steel from Russia to “reduce or limit revenues that finance the illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” AFP and Agerpres reported.

Aluminum plant owned by RUSALPhoto: Oleksiy Maishev / Sputnik / Profimedia

According to the latest government data, these imports were worth almost C$250 million (€170 million) in 2021.

The ban was imposed at the same time as a 200% increase in tariffs on Russian aluminum imports announced last month by the United States. It also follows the European Union’s ban on steel imports from Russia last year.

“Canada and its partners have already imposed sanctions against the Russian Central Bank and curbed Russian oil and gas prices,” Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement. “And now we’re making sure that Putin can’t finance his war by selling aluminum and steel to Canada by coordinating our current efforts with those of the United States,” she added.

The new rules apply to all aluminum products in Russia, such as unprocessed aluminum, aluminum foil and finished products, including containers and other aluminum household items. It also affects all primary products made from Russian steel, such as cast iron and non-alloy steel, semi-finished products and finished products such as pipes.

Most of Canada’s steel imports come from the US, which accounts for nearly 45% of US steel exports, while almost 90% of Canadian aluminum production goes to the US.

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