Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly spoke at a press conference today, confirming that Quebec’s aluminum sector is set to receive “hundreds of millions of dollars” from a $5-billion federal fund aimed at supporting industries hit by U.S. tariffs. Joly said that the federal government has not yet finalized how the money will be allocated. Still, she emphasized that Quebec, which produces nearly all of the aluminum in Canada, will benefit significantly.
“The Quebec aluminum sector will get its fair share. And we believe that with the projects that are being discussed right now with Alcoa, with Rio Tinto and with Alouette,” she said. “It’s hundreds of millions of dollars.” Canadian aluminum and steel exports are currently subject to 50% tariffs in the U.S., the industry’s largest market.
Joly was joined by Jean Simard, president of the Aluminium Association of Canada, who underscored the importance of federal support. “What we’re talking about is making sure that an industry that is highly impacted financially by this situation is able to transition ahead while remaining competitive,” said Simard. “We ship 56,000 tonnes per week of aluminum to the U.S. 52 weeks a year, that’s 75 million U.S. dollars impact every week. We lost tremendous amounts of money.”
Simard emphasized that this isn’t a “handout,” instead it’s about making investments to ensure that Canada remains globally competitive. While Canada does sell some aluminum to Europe and Asia, Simard noted that the industry remains overwhelmingly dependent on U.S. buyers.
“We produced 3.3 million tonnes of metal in 2024, which is our biggest year ever,” he said. “We exported 90 percent of that, and 90 percent of that 90 percent was going to the U.S.”
Because of the tariffs, Canadian producers redirected more shipments to Europe over the summer, as exports south of the border were no longer profitable. For now, Canadian producers are exploring growth opportunities in Europe and Asia, but both Joly and Simard made it clear that the U.S. will remain Canada’s dominant aluminum market — and a key focus for government support.