The CEO of Zekelman Industries says ongoing tariff discussions between Canada and the United States are necessary to resolve trade tensions that affect manufacturers on both sides of the border.
Barry Zekelman, whose company operates plants in both Canada and the U.S., says continued dialogue is the only way forward.
"We're two countries that are aligned in so many ways and have such a great trading relationship, and we're part of each other, we're interlinked forever, for life," he said.
"Sometimes you have disagreements and spats, just like you do in a family, and we're in one right now that we have to resolve."
Zekelman said discussions, which he is actively involved in, are also about protecting both countries from unfair global competition.
He pointed to his own company as an example of how cross-border investment can benefit both countries, with operations on both sides of the border supporting jobs, communities, and supply chains.
"Part of the discussion is a fortress North America and really coming together to solve both of our problems because they’re very similar," Zekelman said.
He also renewed concerns that major public projects, including the new Windsor hospital, could end up using foreign steel.
"They're still not contacting us to design with Canadian steel and Canadian tubing," he said.
"Beams aren't made here in Canada, everything's imported. They've chased the beam makers out of Canada, so the direct substitute to build with that would be tubing, whether it's mine or my competitors, and we're using Canadian steel, but I've heard nothing, radio silence. If that hospital goes up with foreign steel, you heard it here first, it's going to be a shame."
From November 2025 to March 2026, Zekelman ran a Buy Canadian reward program that offered $1,000 rewards to flag publicly funded projects using imported steel, paying out about $30,000 to Canadians nationwide.
-With files from CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian