Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning manufacturing, e.g. textile and apparel, chemical, electronics, wood and paper, metals, plastics and rubber, packaging, and machining. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track the upstream and downstream forces affecting Manufacturing? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Mining and Oil & Gas.

Dates: 2025-11-16 to 2025-11-22

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Parliamentary Calendar
• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal Government News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial Government News
• 🇺🇸 US Federal Government News
• 💬 Government Consultations
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Parliamentary Calendar

• Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy: Scheduled for November 26, the committee will examine access to credit and capital markets for SMEs, hearing from ISED’s Etienne-René Massie and a panel from the Business Development Bank of Canada.
• House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade: Canada and the Forthcoming CUSMA Review: Meeting on November 24 to review Canada’s position ahead of the CUSMA review, with witnesses from the Canada Organic Trade Association, Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, and Canadian Labour Congress.
• House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology: Canada's Underlying Productivity Gaps and Capital Outflow: November 24 session to discuss domestic productivity and capital challenges, featuring testimony from Danby CEO Jim Estill, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, and the Bank of Canada’s Eric Santor.
• House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates: Stellantis Contracts Review: On November 25, the committee reviews government responses to a motion regarding contracts with Stellantis, with FCA Canada Inc. and representatives from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
• House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development: Electric Vehicle Availability Standard: Scheduled for November 24, the committee convenes to hear from experts including The Atmospheric Fund and Electro-Federation Canada on electric vehicle supply standards and related sector policies.
• House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources: Supplementary Estimates 2025-26 Review: Meeting November 24, Minister Tim Hodgson and senior officials from the Department of Natural Resources are set to discuss budget allocations affecting energy sector programs.

Canadian Federal Government News

Government of Canada Signs Icebreaker Collaboration Effort with Finland and United States

Canada, Finland, and the United States signed a joint statement of intent to advance the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) in Washington, D.C. Officials, including Kirsten Hillman (Ambassador of Canada to the US), Kristi Noem (US Secretary of Homeland Security), and Sakari Puisto (Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs), are launching coordinated initiatives for industrial cooperation in shipbuilding, workforce development, and joint R&D frameworks. An Industry Day hosted on November 20 will engage private-sector partners, with follow-up meetings planned next year to track progress. This effort builds on the US icebreaker fleet renewal initiative announced in October, involving Canadian and Finnish shipyards.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Canada Removes Barriers to Interprovincial Trade and Labour Mobility

The Government of Canada finalized regulations for the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act, effective January 1, 2026. The framework recognizes provincial and territorial standards for manufacturing, allowing products and occupational certifications to meet comparable federal requirements if certified or licensed provincially or territorially, reducing duplication. Exceptions pertain to food safety requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Act and supply management systems under respective agricultural acts. A user guide for affected businesses is scheduled for release in December 2025.

Sources: www.canada.ca, www.canada.ca

Canada Advances Carbon Markets, Methane Regulations, and International Collaboration at COP30

At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, Minister Julie Dabrusin (Environment and Climate Change Canada) announced Canada’s plan to join international coalitions to expand carbon markets alongside the UK, France, and Singapore. Canada endorsed the Open Coalition on Compliance Carbon Markets and promoted methane emission monitoring and reduction, including stronger regulations for the oil and gas sector and landfill methane due in 2026. Canada also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil for wildfire management resource sharing. The Powering Past Coal Alliance launched a coal transition plan, while Canada joined a global platform to develop bio-based chemicals and materials.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Competition Bureau Commissioner Outlines Impact of Amended Competition Act and Enforcement Priorities

Matthew Boswell, speaking at the Canadian Bar Association Competition Law Conference, outlined the Competition Act amendments that enhance powers for market studies, merger reviews, and investigation of monopolistic practices. The Bureau has implemented guidance for the amended Act, increased resources for digital enforcement, and published revised Merger Enforcement Guidelines and Anti-Competitive Conduct and Agreements Guidelines. The Bureau is prioritizing investigations into property controls and real estate commissions, has accelerated cartel detection (including for major procurement events like FIFA 2026), and expanded advocacy on regulatory reform in areas affecting SMEs and industrial policy.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Federal Investment in Hydrogen Co-Combustion Engine R&D for Heavy-Duty Trucks

Natural Resources Canada committed over $1.4 million in funding for Hydra Energy Canada Corporation, targeting optimization of hydrogen co-combustion engines for heavy-duty trucking. The project, located in Delta, British Columbia, aims to improve hydrogen-diesel engine technology and leverage machine learning for enhanced fuel efficiency and GHG reduction. Commercial truck trials using these systems are ongoing in British Columbia.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Federal Investment in Manitoba Manufacturing for Medical Vehicles and Virtual Healthcare

Prairies Economic Development Canada allocated more than $2.9 million in repayable federal investments to MoveMobility and QDoc Inc., supporting manufacturing expansion and digital healthcare delivery in Manitoba. MoveMobility received $1.1 million to increase its production of ambulances using van platforms, while QDoc Inc. received $1.9 million to enhance tech-based healthcare services. These investments target increased capacity and service in rural and northern communities.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Atlantic Canada Clean-Energy Firms Build International Partnerships at Enlit Europe

Six Atlantic Canadian companies, with support from the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement, participated in Enlit Europe 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. The team, led by Smart Grid Innovation Network Canada, engaged in meetings, site visits, and networking events for clean-energy exports, with a focus on battery storage, hydrogen integration, and smart grid technologies.

Sources: www.canada.ca

Construction Demathieu & Bard Fined for Fisheries Act Violation in Quebec

On November 17, 2025, Construction Demathieu & Bard (CDB) Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $650,000 for depositing a deleterious substance into Lac des Deux Montagnes during bridge restoration work. The water, containing concrete residue with pH above 12, was discharged due to a malfunctioning treatment system. The conviction under Fisheries Act subsection 36(3) resulted in the company’s entry onto the Environmental Offenders Registry.

Sources: www.canada.ca

StatsCan Releases October Industrial Product and Raw Materials Price Indices

Statistics Canada reported the Industrial Product Price Index up 1.5% month-over-month and 6.0% year-over-year for October, and the Raw Materials Price Index up 1.6% monthly, 5.8% annually, indicating higher manufacturing input prices and potential impacts for cost structures.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Senate Committee Addresses Labor Disruptions in Rail and Marine Transport

Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications, chaired by Senator Larry Smith, convened two meetings on November 18 and 19 to discuss labor disruption impacts on transportation, with witnesses from Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Grain Growers of Canada, Canadian Meat Council, Canadian Fuels Association, and Canadian Propane Association. Issues included reliability of rail for exports, proposed amendments to the Canada Labour Code, suggestions for real-time data sharing, safety incentives, and designating port and rail services as essential.

Sources: senparlvu.parl.gc.ca, senparlvu.parl.gc.ca

StatsCan Publishes Data on Capital Expenditures for Environmental Protection, 2022 and 2023

New estimates for business capital expenditures on environmental protection are available for 2022 and 2023, expanding coverage beyond the Environmental Protection Expenditures Survey and mapping costs incurred by Canadian industries for compliance and process improvements.

Sources: www.statcan.gc.ca

Canadian Provincial Government News

Ontario Secures $3.2 Billion Synthetic Graphite Facility Investment

Ontario announced Vianode's $3.2 billion investment for a synthetic graphite production facility in St. Thomas, creating 300 initial jobs and supporting supply chain expansion for EV batteries and strategic sectors. The province will provide up to $670 million in loans.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Ontario Announces $16.5 Million Tariff Relief for Manufacturers

Eight Ontario manufacturers are set to receive a combined $16.5 million under the Ontario Together Trade Fund for projects supporting tariff-impacted companies, driving job creation and supply chain re-shoring.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

Ontario Set to Introduce Buy Ontario Act Prioritizing Local Procurement

Ontario government will introduce the Buy Ontario Act, requiring public sector organizations to prioritize domestic goods and services for procurement contracts, with compliance enforcement mechanisms planned.

Sources: news.ontario.ca

British Columbia Leads Signing of Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement

B.C. spearheaded the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement to break down interprovincial trade barriers for thousands of goods except food, simplifying rules for manufacturing inputs to finished products, and enabling broader market access starting December 2025.

Sources: news.gov.bc.ca

La Caisse and Investissement Québec Invest in Honco Group Steel Processing Expansion

Honco Group of Lévis received equity investment from La Caisse and Investissement Québec, consolidating Québécois ownership and supporting manufacturing expansion for steel buildings, doors, hardware, and equipment across six business units.

Sources: www.quebec.ca

US Federal Government News

White House Grants Temporary EPA Rule Exemption for Coke Ovens

President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation on November 21, 2025, granting a two-year exemption for coke oven facilities from recently finalized EPA emissions control requirements. Under the action, facilities may continue to comply with pre-Biden EPA standards, maintaining uninterrupted steel production. The Coke Oven Rule, finalized July 2024, mandated emissions technologies not yet commercially available. The exemption addresses industry concerns about risk of closure and national security impacts amid steel supply chain pressures.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov

EPA Opens 30-Day Comment Period on NESHAP Renewal for Metal Fabrication and Steel Pickling

The EPA submitted extensions for two key information collection requests—NESHAP for Nine Metal Fabrication and Finishing Area Sources and NESHAP for Steel Pickling and Hydrochloric Acid Regeneration Plants—with comments due December 18, 2025. Regulations require initial notifications, performance tests, and periodic reports for facilities emitting hazardous air pollutants, with no current changes to regulatory requirements or industry growth projections. Annual estimated burdens: 39,000 hours for metal fabrication (5,800 respondents) and 35,000 hours for steel pickling/hydrochloric acid plants (100 respondents).

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

PHMSA Withdraws Hazardous Materials Registration Fee Increase Proposal

On November 20, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration withdrew its notice of proposed rulemaking to increase annual registration fees for hazardous materials transporters, citing the reduction of compliance burdens aligned with Executive Order 14192. The agency determined that current fee levels are sufficient for emergency planning and training programs.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FMCSA Proposes Incorporation of Updated Out-of-Service Criteria for Hazardous Materials Safety Permits

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposed to update reference from the April 2024 edition to the April 2025 edition of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance handbook for hazardous materials safety permit inspections. Fourteen updates clarify criteria and terminology (including tractor protection systems and air brake hose/tubing conditions) without imposing new requirements. Comments on the proposed rule are due by December 19, 2025.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

International Trade Commission Receives Section 337 Complaint on Semiconductor Products

The USITC published receipt of a Section 337 complaint on November 17 from Adeia Inc. against Advanced Micro Devices, Lenovo, and Super Micro Computer, regarding alleged patent violations involving semiconductor devices and computing products. The complainant is seeking exclusion orders, cease and desist orders, and enforcement bonds, with public submissions on the investigation’s impact on competitive conditions and consumers accepted until November 27, 2025.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Government Consultations

Health Canada Releases Proposed MRL Consultation for Spidoxamat

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency launched a public consultation on proposed maximum residue limits for spidoxamat, with comments open until February 1, 2026.

Sources: www.canada.ca

What We're Reading This Week

• CTV News Regina: Saskatchewan unveils tax incentives for food, beverage, and equipment manufacturing.
• Globe and Mail: Eurenco and a Canadian partner plan an explosives factory to meet NATO demand.
• The Star: Ontario moves to subsidize energy-efficient appliances with up to $200 rebates.
• CTV News: US dairy, whiskey, wine, and steel industries comment on CUSMA trade pact review.
• Financial Post: Coalition of industry, labour, and Indigenous interests calls for a Canada-wide electrification push.
• The Star: Stakeholders urge federal government to lead national electrification strategy.
• CTV News: Saskatchewan government to offer new manufacturing tax breaks.
• Globe and Mail: French group partners for a new Canadian explosives manufacturing plant.
• The Star: Households in Ontario to receive rebates for energy-saving appliances.
• CTV News: American manufacturers provide feedback on trade pact review process.

.