Sask. Crown corporations supporting Evraz steel mill in Regina

The provincial government is doing its part to support local companies, placing a big order at the Evraz steel mill in Regina.

Mike Day, president of the United Steelworkers Union Local 5890, said the announcement is good news for workers, who are facing uncertainty after the United States imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

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The announcement took place at the Evraz facility on Tuesday, with many workers in attendance.

SaskPower purchased 10,000 tons of steel, which will be used for construction on Saskatchewan’s power grid. SaskEnergy purchased 125 kilometres of steel piping for a new natural gas power plant near Lanigan, and has procured $79 million in steel from Evraz through its supplier agreement.

Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for Saskatchewan’s Crown corporations, said the purchases were a way to help the industry after the tariffs from the United States took effect.

“We were in a position to respond pretty rapidly in this case, and we’re going to be monitoring really closely the impacts that are are coming,” he said.

The purchases will help keep 400 steel workers on the job in the Queen City.

Minister Jeremy Harrison addresses workers at the Evraz facility in Regina. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)

According to Harrison, only about three per cent of the province’s Crown procurement comes from the United States.

“Our preference is always to procure first from Saskatchewan, second from Canada, and only if we have no other options to procure from outside of the country,” he said.

Harrison also pushed for long-term plans for pipeline construction.

“We have been advocating tirelessly as a government to get pipelines built,” he said. “East, north, west, south; I don’t care what direction. All of the above. We need to get pipelines built in this country again.”

In a news release, the provincial government said it is always co-ordinating with local businesses as it works to improve capacity and competitiveness.

Don Hunter, the senior vice president of Evraz Canada, said he would not speculate how the tariffs might affect sales across the border.

Most of Evraz’s products stay in Canada, Hunter said, so he did not expect Canadian customers would be greatly affected by the tariffs.

“I don’t think our customers are noticing this yet,” he said. “We’re struggling through it.”

Hunter thanked the Saskatchewan government for helping to keep steelworkers employed.