Canada takes the path of least resistance on electricity strategy

We commend the federal government on the release of its National Electricity Strategy. Strengthening Canadian manufacturing supply chains so that more of the technologies powering our grid are #MadeinCanada is exactly what we’ve been calling for, and we’re ready to be part of that solution.

However, Canadian manufacturers of grid components and transformer equipment are not operating from a position of comfort while Ottawa deliberates and consults. U.S. tariffs, trade volatility, and sustained price pressure from offshore competitors is creating uncertainty for businesses considering future investment in Canada.

We’ve been making transformer cores in Burlington since the 1970’s. We have been powering Canada for decades (we turned into a 24-hour operation during the 1998 ice storm) and we are ready to be part of the solution.

Businesses are making investment decisions right now about where to invest and expand. Capacity is shifting. Supply agreements are being re-evaluated and signed in the midst of tariff and global trade disruptions.

If the federal government wants a resilient, sovereign domestic supply chain for the grid buildout it’s promising, it needs to show up with concrete support measures for domestic producers and international investors—such as procurement policies, investment incentives, and effective tariff policies—on a timeline that matches the urgency of how private businesses operate.

Now is the time to act, not study. A drawn out consultation process will slow down and stifle the growth of Canada’s grid, and the necessary investments will find their home outside of Canada.