Donald Trump tariffs: B.C. aluminum smelter a major exporter to the U.S. [Video]

The United States imports about half a million metric tonnes of aluminum from British Columbia.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, including those from Canada and Mexico.

“To get a smelter online, it’s five or six years,” B.C.’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Ravi Kahlon told Global News.

“And so that means consumers in the U.S. are going to see a 25-per cent increase in everything for the next four years. And so it’s hard to understand how that policy will help Americans or anyone that’s been doing, you know, fair trade with the U.S.”

Kahlon, who spoke to Global News before Trump made the official announcement on tariffs, said despite what happens, B.C. is prepared.

“We have been doing a lot of work with the premiers. Premier (David) Eby has been working with premiers across the country on how …