Government launches consultations to strengthen and improve access to Canada’s trade remedy system

August 6, 2021 - Ottawa, Ontario - Department of Finance Canada

Maintaining a robust trade remedy system helps ensure that unfairly traded foreign imports do not damage the domestic industry and that Canadian businesses can fully participate in Canada’s economic recovery.

Today, the government launched public consultations on potential legislative and regulatory amendments aimed at strengthening Canada’s trade remedy system, and on measures to improve access to that system for workers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Canada’s trade remedy system levels the playing field and helps preserve a fair and open trading environment by providing recourse for Canadian producers affected by unfairly traded goods entering the Canadian market. Canadian producers can request an investigation into specific imports from countries whose exporters are alleged to be selling dumped or unfairly subsidized goods in the Canadian market. If an investigation finds that dumping or unfair subsidization has injured or threatens to injure the Canadian industry, the implicated imports may face duties.

The government is now consulting with Canadians on potential amendments to the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA) and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act (CITT Act), and related regulations, as well as potential measures to improve SMEs’ access to Canada’s trade remedy system.