Canada’s wire manufacturers advocate to federal government

A coalition of copper and aluminum wire manufacturers from across Canada have issued a joint letter to Canada Minister of Finance François‑Philippe Champagne in response to tariff-related disruptions.

The initiative is led by the Wire and Cable Manufacturers of Canada, with the letter’s signatories including Shawflex, Deca Cables, Northern Cables, PTI Cables, Domtech, Essex Solutions Canada, Electro Cables, and Nexans Canada.

The group cited a number of issues they are currently facing, including unsustainable domestic production margins and ultra-low priced imports currently undercutting Canadian-made offerings. Both issues are set to exacerbate in light of Canada’s housing goals and efforts toward electrification and grid modernization.

The joint letter requested the federal government to extend the tariff rate quota (TRQ) framework recently announced for Canadian steel producers toward manufacturers of copper and aluminum wire and cable. This would counter the importing of offshore products, while also respecting Canada’s CUSMA obligations by excluding products from the United States and Mexico.

The group is also urging stakeholders from across Canada’s electrical sector, including electrical contractors, plant electricians, consulting engineers, and electrical distributors, to help preserve Canada’s domestic wire and cable capacity by being mindful of the origin and quality of their materials, along with their overall impact on safety and reliability.

“Choosing Canadian‑made cable is not just an economic preference,” reads a press release. “It is a practical step toward safer installations, more reliable operations, and a more resilient supply chain for the projects that cannot afford failure.​”