6 | SPRING 2026 ADVANTAGE STEEL KEANIN LOOMIS President & CEO CISC-ICCA Seasons of Change FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Advantage Steel and the French- language edition Avantage Acier are published by the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC-ICCA) on behalf of its members and associates. CISC-ICCA is not responsible for the opinions expressed in this publication by those contributing articles. Connect with us: Tel: (905) 604-3231 info@cisc-icca.ca • cisc-icca.ca linkedin.com/company/ciscicca @cisc_icca ™ CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION INSTITUT CANADIEN DE LA CONSTRUCTION EN ACIER influential people to Gatineau, Que. As an exclusive CISC member event, the summit was designed with a clear focus on strategic discussions amongst members of our industry, and with federal and provincial policy-makers about ensuring the future of the Canadian steel industry. Recognizing the current economic pressures and tighter budgets across the industry, we prioritized meaningful content and opportunities that would provide a strong return on investment. We are confident that this approach resulted in a highly impactful and valuable summit experience for our members. I’d like to extend my sincerest gratitude to our conference organizers and everyone who attended for your unwavering support of the CISC and Canada’s steel industry. We’ll be sharing a full recap of the summit in the next issue of Advantage Steel. Here at home, the CISC has remained actively engaged with Ottawa, several provinces (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and soon Alberta) and municipalities, advocating for policies that strengthen domestic steel construction. Our team has been participating in provincial pre-budget consultations and meeting with government leaders to advance priorities such as Buy Canada and Buy Local procurement policies – discussions that will only become more important in the months ahead. All of this comes at a pivotal time for North American trade. Beginning July 1, 2026, Canada, the United States and Mexico are scheduled to formally launch the six-year review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). With rising protectionist pressures in the United States, issues such as tariffs, Buy American policies, anti-dumping measures and rules of origin for steel, this agreement will be closely watched. For us at home here in Canada – where roughly 70 per cent of exports go to the United States – the stability provided by CUSMA remains essential. The outcome of this review will play a major role in shaping the competitiveness and resilience of North America’s steel supply chain in the years ahead. For the CISC and our members, that means continuing to stay engaged with governments, advocating for policies that support domestic production and value-added activities and ensuring Canada’s steel construction sector has a strong voice in the conversations shaping our economic future. The work continues, and the CISC will be with you every step of the way. AS E arlier this winter, I announced my intention to run for mayor of Hamilton in the Ontario municipal election on October 26, 2026. Canada’s Steeltown is my hometown, shaped by resilient and industrious people and a strong sense of community. The opportunity to serve my community is a call to service that I cannot ignore. That said, this decision did not come easily and was one I battled with over the past few months. Since joining the CISC in 2024, it has been a tremendous privilege to represent Canada’s steel construction industry. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to transform the organization and meet many of you across the country on shop floors, in boardrooms and at our many CISC events. I have seen firsthand the ingenuity, pride and resilience that define this sector. I will continue serving as president and CEO of the CISC until this summer, when I will step away during the campaign period. In the months ahead, our talented team and Board of Directors will continue advancing the priorities of the association and delivering value for our members. The strength of the CISC has always been its people, and I have every confidence in the work ahead. Now, to the eventful winter we just had. The opening months of the year have been both busy and significant for our industry, and I would like to highlight a few key developments and highlights. I joined the largest Team Canada trade mission ever assembled, travelling to Mexico City with more than 370 Canadian business leaders and policy-makers. During the visit, I had the opportunity to appear before the Mexican Senate to discuss the future of the North American steel trade and the commitments outlined in the Canada-Mexico Action Plan. I also met with CISC’s counterparts in Mexico, IMCA, and got to tour one of Mexico’s largest fabricators. The theme that I returned to repeatedly in the conversations with the Mexican Senate was the importance of protecting the integrity of the North American steel market. If Canada, the United States and Mexico are going to compete globally, we need strong and coordinated supply chains that prioritize North American production while ensuring unfairly traded steel does not undermine our industries. Just a few weeks ago, we also hosted – with great success – our 2026 edition of the Steel Construction Leadership Summit, which saw us gathering the steel industry’s most
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