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MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): The United Steelworkers has welcomed a BC NDP campaign pledge to introduce new “Built in B.C. and Canada” procurement rules for public infrastructure, including specific Canadian-steel targets for BC Hydro's North Coast Transmission Line.
Under the proposal announced September 24 by BC NDP Leader David Eby, provincial ministries, Crown agencies and health authorities would be required to prioritize B.C.- and Canadian-made materials where domestic suppliers can meet project budgets and delivery schedules.
The proposed rules would cover materials including steel, aluminum, wood and cement.
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
The steel commitment is tied to one of British Columbia's largest transmission expansions. Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the North Coast Transmission Line span roughly 440 kilometres combined. The BC NDP proposal would require Canadian steel for 70% of Phase 1 towers and all Phase 2 towers, although the eventual tonnage of Canadian steel would depend on final tower designs and procurement.
Canadian Steel Target Set for North Coast Transmission Line
The BC NDP said the proposed procurement framework would be applied to the North Coast Transmission Line, with BC Hydro directed to use Canadian steel for 70% of Phase 1 towers and 100% of Phase 2 towers.
The commitment forms part of a broader “Built in B.C. and Canada” plan that would set minimum Canadian-content requirements for public infrastructure materials.
The party also said U.S.-made goods and materials would count against those requirements through procurement penalties, while municipalities would be encouraged to adopt similar sourcing practices.
USW Welcomes Canadian-Content Commitment
Scott Lunny, United Steelworkers Western Canada Director, said the union supports using public infrastructure spending to increase purchases of Canadian steel, aluminum, wood and other domestically produced materials.
The union said the approach could provide additional demand for Canadian manufacturing while supporting employment in domestic materials industries.
USW also called for procurement rules to go beyond material origin by giving preference to unionized workplaces and incorporating prevailing-wage requirements.
The union said its objective is to ensure that public infrastructure spending supports domestic production as well as wages, benefits and workplace standards.
Proposal Is a Campaign Commitment, Not Yet an Enacted Rule
The procurement policy was announced during the 2026 British Columbia election campaign.
That distinction is important: the Canadian-content requirements are currently a BC NDP policy commitment rather than an already implemented province-wide procurement regulation.
If implemented as proposed, the rules would apply to provincial ministries, Crown agencies and health authorities when Canadian suppliers are available at competitive prices and can meet project schedules.
North Coast Transmission Line Construction Underway
Construction on Phase 1 of the North Coast Transmission Line began in 2026.
The first phase runs approximately 165 kilometres from the Williston Substation near Prince George to the Glenannan Substation near Fraser Lake.
Phase 2 will extend the transmission system roughly 275 kilometres west toward Terrace.
BC Hydro expects Phase 1 to be completed around 2030, while Phase 2 construction is expected to begin in 2027 and reach completion in 2032.
Transmission Project Expected to Support Major Industrial Growth
The North Coast Transmission Line is designed to more than double electricity transmission capacity in the region, where power demand from mining, LNG, ports and other industrial development has exceeded the capacity of the existing Prince George-to-Terrace transmission corridor.
The B.C. government estimates that projects enabled by the transmission expansion could support approximately 9,700 direct full-time jobs once completed, while construction of the transmission line itself could employ as many as 1,400 workers at peak activity.
The province also estimates that associated industrial development could contribute nearly $10 billion annually to British Columbia's economy.
Canadian Procurement Could Affect Steel Demand
For the Canadian steel industry, the proposed procurement rules would create a direct domestic-content requirement on a major public infrastructure project.
Transmission towers require substantial quantities of fabricated structural steel, meaning procurement decisions can influence orders for Canadian mills, fabricators and downstream steel processors.
However, the current announcement does not specify the tonnage of steel required, individual suppliers, contract values or the exact number of towers covered by each phase.
Those details will depend on final engineering, tendering and procurement decisions.
Market Read
The significance for Canada's steel sector is less about an immediate change in market pricing and more about the potential creation of a defined domestic demand channel for infrastructure steel.
If the policy is implemented, Canadian-content thresholds could influence how major public projects evaluate steel, aluminum, wood and other construction materials.
For mills and fabricators, the most important next steps will be the final procurement rules, eligibility definitions, tender specifications and the amount of Canadian steel ultimately required for the North Coast Transmission Line.
SOURCES & METHODOLOGY
The procurement commitment was reviewed against the BC NDP's September 24 campaign announcement and the United Steelworkers statement. North Coast Transmission Line construction, route and economic-impact information was checked against BC Hydro and Government of British Columbia project releases.
Courtesy: www.finance.yahoo.com
