Unarmoured cables from China face provisional duties

Summary#

On July 29, 2026, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said it has preliminarily found that unarmoured building cables from China were dumped and subsidized under the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA). That means provisional duties can be charged while the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) holds a full inquiry into whether the imports are harming Canadian industry.

What it does#

• The CBSA made preliminary determinations of dumping and subsidizing for certain unarmoured building cables originating in and exported from the People’s Republic of China.
• Provisional duties are payable on subject goods released from the CBSA from July 29, 2026 until the earlier of: the investigations being terminated, the CITT making an order or finding, or an undertaking being accepted. The duty charged will not exceed the estimated dumping margin plus the estimated subsidy. Late payment rules from the Customs Act (including interest) apply.
• The CITT has opened inquiry NQ-2026-003 to decide whether the dumped/subsidized imports have caused injury or are likely to. The Tribunal must complete certain steps and aim to issue an order or finding within 120 days of receiving notice of the CBSA’s preliminary decisions.
• Important dates in the inquiry process: parties must file notices of participation by August 13, 2026; the Tribunal will publish a list of participants on September 17, 2026; and a hearing is scheduled for the week of October 26, 2026. The CBSA will issue a Statement of Reasons within 15 days after the decisions.
• The product covered is narrowly defined. It generally means an assembly of two or three insulated copper or aluminum conductors plus a metallic bonding conductor, jacketed with plastic or similar, with these technical limits:
  • voltage rating greater than 80 volts and not exceeding 300 volts;
  • conductor size not less than AWG 14 and not greater than AWG 2;
  • primarily used to distribute electric current for lighting, appliances, sockets, etc.;
  • certified to applicable Canadian standards.
• The definition explicitly excludes several items, including wire and cable shorter than 2 metres, ordinary extension cords, most vehicle wiring (except NMD90 and NMWU types), wiring harnesses, and certain manufacturing inputs.

Who's affected#

• Importers and exporters of the specified unarmoured building cables, especially those importing from the People’s Republic of China.
• Canadian cable manufacturers and their competitors, who are central to the injury inquiry.
• Distributors, wholesalers, electrical contractors, and construction companies that buy these cables.
• Ultimately, building owners, homeowners and other end users could notice price or supply effects if duties are imposed.
• The CBSA and the CITT are the government bodies running the investigations and hearings.

Why it matters#

• If provisional duties become final, imported cables from China could become more expensive or harder to get. That can raise costs for construction and electrical work.
• The inquiry is intended to protect Canadian industry if it has been harmed by unfair trade. But these are preliminary findings — the final outcome depends on the CITT’s inquiry and any evidence presented.
• Affected businesses have deadlines to join the inquiry and make their case; consumers and projects that rely on imported cables should watch developments for potential price or supply impacts.