Media Release

The Canadian Steel Producers Associations Applauds Federal Investment in Green Steel at ArcelorMittal Dofasco

OTTAWA, July 30, 2021 - The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) celebrates today’s announcement of a new and exciting partnership between the Government of Canada and ArcelorMittal Dofasco (AMD) that will result in a reduction of approximately 3 million tonnes of CO2 from the company’s steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario.

This federal investment of up to $400 million will support the conversion of AMD’s operation to an electric arc furnace (EAF) process and will incorporate direct reduced iron (DRI) as a feedstock. Today’s announcement builds on Canada’s existing, impressive track record of producing some of the greenest, cleanest steel in the world.

“This investment will deliver substantial climate improvements for AMD, the City of Hamilton and our country as a whole. It is now the second project from Canada’s steel sector contributing to a combined reduction of close to 6 million tonnes – major progress directly tied to our sector’s ‘net zero by 2050’ goal,” said Catherine Cobden, President & CEO of the CSPA. “To further our progress, new solutions like hydrogen supply, carbon capture and other breakthrough technologies will need to be developed and pursued next.”

In 2020, Canadian steel producers launched the sector’s landmark Climate Call to Action, which outlines the key conditions needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the domestic steel industry, the greening of its jobs and the need to ensure strong, vibrant steel communities across the country. The plan calls for action in the following key areas:

• Creating new research collaborations aimed at the development and adoption of new breakthrough technologies and innovations
• Expanding access to abundant and reliable alternative energy supply, such as hydrogen and renewables.
• Supporting the use of green domestic steel through procurement policies and assessing the role of carbon border measures to maintain a level playing field with more carbon intensive imports.

“As evidenced by today’s announcement at AMD, Canada’s steel producers will continue to play a significant role in the greening of critical supply chains across North America. All segments of the economy -- from automotive to manufacturing and from construction to energy -- are looking for green solutions,” said Cobden. “Canadian steel producers are committed to being the green supplier of choice.”

International benchmarking by Global Efficiency Intelligence has ranked Canada’s steel producers as first and second in the world by major production type, well ahead of China, and other key steel producing nations.