From Resource Works

BC is a huge source of mettalurgical coal, which is used to make steel.

US President Donald Trump’s announcement of 25 percent tariffs on imported steel will send shockwaves through many industries but one of the hardest hit will be British Columbia’s coal industry. As the largest exporter of metallurgical coal in Canada, B.C. relies heavily on global steel production and these tariffs will reduce demand, destabilize prices and disrupt supply chains.

Unlike thermal coal used to generate electricity, over 95 percent of coal mined in British Columbia is metallurgical coal or coking coal. This coal is used to produce coke, a carbon rich fuel used to remove oxygen from iron ore in blast furnaces. Steel production is a big part of global industrial activity and B.C.’s coal industry exists because of that demand.

According to provincial data coal is B.C.’s most valuable mined commodity, generating billions of dollars in revenue each year. B.C. coal is exported mainly to Asian markets like Japan, China, South Korea and India but the US steel industry has been a customer too. A reduction in US steel production due to tariffs could disrupt global steel trade flows and reduce demand for metallurgical coal from B.C. miners.

Trump’s latest 25 percent tariffs on all steel imports is a repeat of what happened in 2018 when similar tariffs were introduced. At that time the tariffs increased costs for US manufacturers and led to retaliatory tariffs from Canada and other trade partners. The economic impact was big – Canadian steel and aluminum producers lost business and retaliatory tariffs were imposed on a range of American goods. The 2018 tariffs also didn’t revitalize US steel production which was 1 percent lower in 2024 than 2017 despite those protectionist measures.

This time the tariffs will hit even harder. Unlike 2018 when Canada and Mexico were eventually exempted after negotiations, this time Trump has said his tariffs will apply to “everybody”. That means the Canadian steel industry will once again be caught in the crossfire and with it the metallurgical coal industry that supplies it.

If Trump’s steel tariffs prevent U.S. manufacturers from importing steel due to higher costs, steel production will decline. That will mean lower global demand for metallurgical coal including B.C.’s high grade supply. B.C. coal miners are already facing challenges from environmental policies, competition from other jurisdictions and regulatory delays. A downturn in demand from steel producers could be the trigger for more mine closures or reductions in production.

Plus these tariffs could start another trade war. Canada retaliated in 2018 with tariffs on U.S. goods like orange juice and whiskey and similar measures may follow this time. The uncertainty will delay investment decisions in Canada’s mining sector especially for new projects or expansions that rely on stable steel demand.

The long term viability of metallurgical coal is already in question as the steel industry looks towards greener production methods like hydrogen based steelmaking. Sweden has already developed facilities that don’t require coking coal and while the transition to such technologies will take decades the latest trade disruptions could accelerate that shift.

Trump’s tariffs are meant to protect U.S. steel makers but history shows they often have the opposite effect, increasing costs for American manufacturers and economic instability for key trading partners. For B.C.’s coal industry the combination of declining steel demand, disrupted supply chains and potential trade retaliation puts the sector in a tough spot.

British Columbia’s coal industry is deeply connected to global steel production making it very exposed to Trump’s latest tariffs. The move will reduce demand for metallurgical coal, disrupt export markets and add more financial stress to the province’s miners. Given Trump’s track record on trade B.C. should prepare for economic uncertainty and look at diversification strategies to mitigate the impact of another round of U.S. protectionism.

Jordan Peterson in a February 5, 2025 video titled ‘Canada Must Offer Alberta More Than Trump Could’

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

“Enough idiot green moralizing, enough carbon tax. Enough bloody net-zero,” he said, adding, “how about this: enough multiculturalism and destruction of the Canadian identity.” 

Well-known Canadian psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson had choice words for Canadian politicians last week, accusing them of “pandering” to elites and ruining the nation.

In the February 5 video entirely dedicated to the topic of Canadian politics, Peterson said that he is sick of “pathetic celebrity wannabe” politicians, a category in which he includes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who are “pandering” to the global elites at the expense of ordinary citizens.

Peterson, who is from Alberta, in particular defended his province from a continued push by the Liberal government to undermine its oil and gas industry, amidst a trade tariff dispute with the United States. 

“Enough overt and covert attempts to destroy the basis of the economy of my fair and hard-working province,” said Peterson. 

“Enough delaying critical infrastructure development and rejection of international trade offers for natural gas, oil, and coal. Enough treatment of the resource economy upon which Quebec in particular, so unacceptably depends as a moral pariah.” 

Peterson also took issue with Trudeau’s unpopular carbon tax and the Liberal government’s ongoing promotion of DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) ideology. 

“Enough idiot green moralizing, enough carbon tax. Enough bloody net-zero,” he said, adding, “how about this: enough multiculturalism and destruction of the Canadian identity.” 

In recent weeks, the Trudeau government has been embroiled in a trade dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump, the latter threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian goods if border security and fentanyl trafficking is not taken more seriously.

Canada was given a 30-day reprieve from the 25 percent tariffs by Trump after Trudeau promised to increase border security and crack down on fentanyl making its way south.  

A similar reprieve was struck by Mexico, whose president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, announced that after talking with Trump the same tariff threat will be delayed for another month.

Since taking office in 2015, the Trudeau government has continued to push a radical environmental agenda like the agendas being pushed by the World Economic Forum’s “Great Reset” and the United Nations’ “Sustainable Development Goals.”  

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been a fierce opponent of Trudeau’s green energy agenda and an advocate for the oil and gas industry.   

Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world, with most of it being in Alberta. Unlike in other nations, Alberta’s industry is largely considered ethical.

This is not the first time Peterson has accused Trudeau and his government of working against the interests of Canada.

Last year, Peterson formally announced his departure from Canada in favor of moving to the United States, saying his birth nation has become a “totalitarian hell hole.”