SASKATOON — Opposition Leader Carla Beck is asking Nutrien to pack its bags and move its investment back to Canada from the United States, as trade tensions continue to sour between the neighbouring countries over tariffs.
Beck commented on Tuesday, Dec. 9, after President Trump again threatened steep tariffs on Canadian-produced fertilizer that the U.S. imports.
Fertilizer Canada, on the same day, emphasized that both countries’ fertilizer industries are “deeply intertwined,” with each reliant on the other for key fertilizer ingredients. Fertilizer Canada told Farms.com that the U.S. exported 5.3 million tonnes of potash while producing 400,000 tonnes.
“Canada is dependent on the U.S. for 95 per cent of its phosphate supply, representing nearly half of the U.S.’s exports. To protect the competitiveness of North American farmers, access to a reliable supply of tariff-free fertilizer is essential,” said Fertilizer Canada’s statement.
Fertilizer Canada is the national association representing Canadian manufacturers, producers, retailers and wholesalers of nitrogen, phosphate, potash and sulphur, which are key ingredients in fertilizers used in the agricultural industry.
Beck said the Canada-U.S. tariff dispute over fertilizer is escalating, putting strain on one of Saskatchewan’s most valuable resources and top export products, and showing that the country can no longer depend on its southern neighbour as a reliable trading partner.
“I think it's just more evident that we cannot be reliant on this unreliable trading partner any longer. I would love to see the decision to have Nutrien move [its] port facility to the U.S. to reconsider moving that back into Canada,” said Beck at her media availability in Saskatoon.
“We're incredibly proud of the potash industry and the role that it plays in this province, [and] what it does to increase food production in the United States. [The U.S.] is one of our biggest customers. It seems the president of the United States does not understand that.”
She added that this should add urgency for everyone not to be complacent and to invest in increasing port activity in the country, diversifying the market and better controlling the prices of Saskatchewan exports.
“[We must] do everything we can to ensure that we can actually get that potash, let alone oil, gas, [and] grain to markets and to be able to control this. So, we are not at the mercy of whatever the president of the United States puts on Truth Social,” said Beck.
Saskatchewan is one of the global leaders in potash mining, with all 11 of the country’s active mines located in the province. In 2023, Saskatchewan produced over 21.9 million tonnes of potash, accounting for about 40 per cent of the world’s supply.
Nutrien is the world’s largest potash producer and currently has a sales office in Chicago and operates phosphate facilities in Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Nutrien has an existing port terminal in Portland, Ore., and is investing over $500 million into building a larger facility in Washington State.
