Cranes surround the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in January, 2025. More than 4.2 million kilograms of steel have been purchased for the Centre Block renovation project by three different Canadian subcontractors, records show.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Contractors working on the renovation of Parliament Hill’s iconic Centre Block were told to use only Canadian-sourced steel after the trade dispute between Canada and the U.S. began in March, documents tabled in the House of Commons show.
Public Services and Procurement Canada, the department overseeing the work, also told contractors it would pick up the tab if the Canadian-sourced steel cost more.
Those who had signed contracts before the start of the dispute were told to “redirect their supply chain to Canadian sources,” the documents say.
The government also inserted clauses into contracts tendered after the trade dispute began that required companies to source steel from Canada where possible, or to switch up suppliers if Canadian sources become available, according to information tabled in the House this month in response to a question from Hamilton Conservative MP Ned Kuruc.
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Though the government said it would pick up any extra costs, the department told The Globe and Mail in an e-mailed statement that no premiums have been paid so far. It did not answer a question as to whether any purchases were actually redirected.
The department said the decision to try to ensure only Canadian steel was being used followed a broader government directive issued in March that Canadian-made products should be prioritized for federal procurement.
That month, the Trump administration announced a tariff of 25 per cent on steel, and Canada responded with tariffs of its own.
Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sept. 10 announced billions of dollars in financial aid to help the industries hardest hit by the trade war, as well as other measures including a 'Buy Canadian' policy for the federal government.Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press
The department also said that the largest structural steel tender for the Centre Block project recently closed, and all the bidders were Canadian.
“The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting Canadian industry and delivering value for Canadians,” spokesperson Michèle LaRose said in the e-mail.
Earlier this month, the Carney government announced its intention to implement a broad “Buy Canadian” policy as part of a package of measures responding to the tariff dispute.
It will require companies doing business with Ottawa to use Canadian materials or buy from Canadian suppliers.
The policy is expected to first apply to steel and softwood lumber and possibly expand later to other products.
When the government announced the policy, it said more details on its implementation would come in November.
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The Centre Block renovation is a years-long endeavour the government has described as the largest and most complex heritage rehabilitation ever seen in the country.
It is estimated to cost between $4.5-billion and $5-billion once completed in 2031. Spending to date is $1.279-billion, according to the most recent report on the project.
More than 4.2 million kilograms of steel have been purchased for the project by three different Canadian subcontractors, the records show.
Of that, 2.7 million kilograms are listed as having Canada as the country of origin. Steel has also come from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and 180,983 kilograms originated in the United States.
The building is nearly 100 years old, and the work includes everything from modernizing its interior to ensure better earthquake protection to restoring decades-old carvings.