International Trade committee  First, the example of having recently increased it to $10 million was a huge hit to the SMEs. What we have found is that if you're going to approach an SME and make them achieve a threshold of $10 million for an investment, you're basically telling them we might as well put it abroad.

International Trade committee  I'd say about $2 million. The original $2 million saw some very good success and some great programs so that steel and aluminum manufacturers were able to take care of our members.

International Trade committee  We've actually been very fortunate. Our MPs have been very supportive.

International Trade committee  We were able to identify the issue early enough to allow us to engage with our local government and our MPs in Ottawa to come up with a solution. The problem is that the model is flawed. The model of offering loans to subsidize the government is not a business model that will have any positive effect, unless there's a guarantee.

International Trade committee  We have one member who has been successful, but when I say “successful”, he actually hasn't received the money back yet. He's only been told that it's going to go through. So again, it's not a guarantee, and without that, we're talking about people who are trying to factor the cost into their models, and it's fractional.

International Trade committee  I believe there is only one alternative, and that is to successfully negotiate the agreement and get the steel and aluminum tariffs removed as soon as possible.

International Trade committee  Actually, we won't give you specific examples, but I will tell you that we have been approached by the United States with greater frequency now than ever. What they're offering is 10 years. They're funding our capital expenditures. They're funding our bricks and mortar. They're giving us 10 years to repay that loan.

International Trade committee  Thank you, Ms. Ramsey. Thank you for all the support you bring us. We really appreciate it. We've had a lot of support over the summer. I'm trying to figure out how to work through this. What we've seen, and where we feel the government can do better, is in its support of SIF, the strategic innovation fund.

International Trade committee  First, we would like to applaud the federal government on a good negotiation of the USMCA. That is good. There are provisions in there that will guarantee some growth and some prosperity in Canada, although we have to go on record as saying that without the removal of steel and aluminum tariffs, the agreement really isn't worth anything to us until it goes into place.

International Trade committee  Well, right now, specific to our industry, we've been monitoring aluminum and steel pricing for the last two years. In two years, it's already gone up 50%. With the impending possibility of tariffs, we saw a 25% increase between January and July, making the total increase 75%. What does that mean to an SME?

International Trade committee  It's quite the opposite. What we're seeing right now is that SMEs are finding that the duty relief is such a burden and an administrative nightmare that they're abandoning the opportunity, and right now, they just don't have any other alternatives.

International Trade committee  We're experiencing about 35% tariffs. That's what we expect on manufactured goods. When that goes to zero, we will be able to compete at a different level and then, like Tim said, we'll need boots on the ground. I'll be honest with you that we don't necessarily expect that we'll be establishing factories there, but we will be employing representatives and we will be going down there ourselves.

International Trade committee  At our own plant, we run 24-7. As there is a lack of available labour, we take our efficiencies and move them as far as we possibly can. That being said, we're actually as flexible as possible. We have introduced flex schedules into our own facility because these people are so personally driven.

International Trade committee  I'd like to add that we believe that working with the colleges is the key to our future. We need to continue to bring in good assets. We are highly educated and highly prepared. The faster they come to our plants and they're able to integrate into our systems, the faster they become an asset and become valuable and make us money.

International Trade committee  Thank you.