Canada supplied 1.16 million tons of aluminum to the United States in the first half of 2026, averaging 192,000 tons per month and covering 68% of U.S. import demand. Total Canadian production reached nearly 1.6 million tons during the period, equivalent to 95% of U.S. import requirements.
The U.S. imported 1.68 million tons of aluminum in the first half of 2026, with Canada accounting for the majority of shipments. The country remains dependent on imports for roughly 80% of its aluminum consumption. Canadian producers have also diverted excess supply to Europe, where shipments enter tariff-free, in the absence of adjustments to Washington’s trade policy.
A proposal to reduce tariffs on Canadian aluminum from 50% to 25% could ease supply constraints and lower the U.S. Midwest aluminum premium. The premium has been trading about 30% above the implied tariff cost, and a reduction could decrease the premium by roughly 10 to 12 cents per pound.
Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum plan to construct a 750,000-ton-per-year smelting plant in the U.S. to bolster domestic capacity amid ongoing trade and supply dynamics.
