CBSA rulings on steel strapping and thermal paper

Summary#

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has closed some dumping investigations and issued final dumping and subsidizing findings for other imports. For steel strapping and thermal paper rolls, provisional duties remain in place while the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) decides whether Canadian industry has been harmed by January 14, 2026 and January 8, 2026, respectively.

What it does#

• Steel strapping

  • On December 15, 2025, the CBSA ended the dumping investigation for steel strapping exported from South Korea by Sam Hwan Steel Co., Ltd. and from Vietnam by Samhwan Vina Co., Ltd. because those goods were found not to be dumped.
  • The CBSA made final dumping determinations for steel strapping originating in or exported from China, South Korea, Türkiye and Vietnam (for exporters other than the two named above).
  • The CBSA also made a final subsidizing determination for steel strapping from China.
  • The CITT will rule on whether these measures hurt Canadian industry by January 14, 2026. Until then, provisional duties stay in place on the subject goods from those countries.
  • If the CITT finds injury, antidumping and/or countervailing duties could be applied to future imports. If the CITT does not find dumping for particular exporters, any provisional duties paid or security posted will be refunded.

• Thermal paper rolls

  • On December 9, 2025, the CBSA issued final determinations of dumping and subsidizing for thermal paper rolls from China.
  • The CITT will decide on injury by January 8, 2026. Provisional duties remain until that decision.
  • If the CITT finds injury, antidumping and/or countervailing duties could be imposed on future imports.

• Other practical notes

  • The CBSA says detailed product definitions and possible tariff classification numbers are on its Dumping and subsidy investigations web page.
  • Statements of reasons for the decisions will be released within 15 days of the decisions.

Who's affected#

• Importers and customs brokers who bring in:
  • steel strapping from China, South Korea, Türkiye, Vietnam (and specifically shipments tied to the named exporters), and
  • thermal paper rolls from China.
• The named exporters: Sam Hwan Steel Co., Ltd. and Samhwan Vina Co., Ltd. (for steel strapping investigations that were terminated).
• Canadian producers of steel strapping and thermal paper who may be claiming injury and seeking protection.
• Distributors, retailers and end users who could see changes in supply, delays at the border, or price changes if duties are applied.
• It is not fully clear from the notice what specific duty rates (if any) will apply; those depend on the CITT’s upcoming injury determinations and any final CBSA calculations.

Why it matters#

• Cash flow and costs: Importers may have to pay provisional duties now or post security, which ties up money. They could get refunds later if probes are closed for their shipments.
• Potential price or supply effects: If final duties are applied, some imported goods could become more expensive or harder to source, which can affect manufacturers, retailers and consumers.
• Protection for domestic industry: A finding of injury by the CITT could lead to longer-term duties aimed at protecting Canadian producers.
• Short timeline: The CITT decisions are scheduled soon — January 8, 2026 and January 14, 2026 — so affected businesses should watch for the final outcomes and the CBSA’s Statements of Reasons.