Crown corporations purchasing Sask. made steel amid tariffs

Steel company Evraz, is shown in Regina on March 14, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell

The provincial government says it is supporting Saskatchewan’s steel industry through Crown corporation procurement.

According to a news release from the province, thousands of pounds of steel and more than 100 kilometres of pipe was recently purchased from Evraz Steel in Regina

“SaskPower has negotiated a purchase of up to 10,000 tons of steel from Evraz, or the equivalent of three-years' worth of steel for the Crown, which is used for the construction of transmission structures and other infrastructure that is critical to maintain Saskatchewan’s power grid,” the province said in the release.

Crown Corporation Investments Minister Jeremey Harrison says the province will continue to support Saskatchewan’s interests with pragmatic and sensible solutions that protect jobs, residents and the economy.

“By prioritizing the purchasing of local steel for SaskPower and SaskEnergy infrastructure projects, we are helping to keep over 400 hardworking Saskatchewan people on the job right here in Regina,” Harrison said in the release.

The province says that a collaboration with Evraz, SaskPower, and steel structure fabricators Brandt and JNE Welding, a Saskatchewan based solution will support the economy and also ensure reliable power for residents and businesses.

SaskEnergy

SaskEnergy has also been using Evraz for product that will be part of a natural gas power plant east of Saskatoon.

“Currently, Evraz is working on an order from SaskEnergy which purchased 125 kilometres of steel pipe through Gateway Tubulars LTD. for the Aspen Power Station project, a new 370-megawatt natural gas power plant near Lanigan. SaskEnergy has procured $79 million from EVRAZ directly or through supplier agreements since 2019.

Through the first three-quarters of the province’s 2024-25 fiscal year the Crown sector has awarded $1.2 billion to Saskatchewan suppliers, $92 million of that to Indigenous companies, according to the release.