Structural steel in Canada is often discussed per tonne, but a per-tonne figure is an output of the estimate, not an input. It is the total cost of material, fabrication, drawings, finish, delivery and erection divided by the weight of steel, so it changes with every project's design and site. A tonne of simple beams and a tonne of stairs, braces and small connection pieces are very different jobs. This guide explains what sits inside that number, why it moves, and how to compare quotes fairly.
Why the industry talks in tonnes
Steel is bought from mills and service centres by weight, so tonnage is the natural unit for material. Estimators also use cost per tonne as a check: once a job is priced, dividing by the tonnage gives a figure they can compare against similar past projects. That is useful inside an estimating department, but it can mislead an owner who multiplies a rumoured per-tonne figure by their own tonnage.
To work in other units: one tonne is 1,000 kg, or about 2,204.6 lb. A price per tonne divided by 1,000 gives a price per kg, and a price per kg divided by 2.2046 gives a price per lb. The "ton" used in the US is a short ton of 2,000 lb, about 907 kg, so check which ton a source means.
What makes up a structural steel price
1. Mill material
The raw beams, columns, HSS, channels, angles and plate. Price depends on the shape, size and grade (in Canada, commonly ASTM A992 or CSA G40.21 350W for wide-flange shapes, and CSA G40.21 or ASTM A500 for HSS), plus how efficiently your lengths cut from stock lengths. Our guides on beam pricing and HSS pricing look at those shapes individually.
2. Connection material and hardware
Shear tabs, clip angles, base plates, cap plates, stiffeners, bolts and anchor rods. On a frame with many connections, this can be a significant share of the steel weight and a bigger share of the labour.
3. Shop drawings and connection design
Detailers turn the structural drawings into erection drawings and individual piece drawings. On many Canadian projects the fabricator is also responsible for designing connections, which brings in an engineer. More revisions and late design changes mean more detailing hours.
4. Fabrication labour
Cutting, coping, drilling, fitting and welding. This is where the "pieces per tonne" effect lives. A building with large, repetitive members goes through the shop efficiently. A building with many light members, skewed connections, cambered beams or architecturally exposed steel takes far more hours per tonne.
5. Finish
Bare steel for interior members that will be enclosed, shop primer for most work, specified paint systems, intumescent fireproofing coatings where required, or hot-dip galvanizing for exterior and corrosive environments. Each step adds cost and time, and galvanizing adds a trip to a galvanizing plant.
6. Delivery
Trucks, permits for long or wide loads, phased deliveries to suit the site schedule, and site unloading.
7. Erection
Crane time, the erection crew, temporary bracing, bolting and field welding, plus inspection and touch-up. Site access, height, weather and how ready the site is (footings, anchor bolts, surveys) all matter.
8. Project terms
Schedule pressure, insurance and bonding requirements, inspection and testing obligations, and payment terms affect price too.
How tonnage is worked out in a take-off
Before anyone can talk about cost per tonne, someone has to measure the tonnes. An estimator works through the structural drawings member by member:
- List every beam, column, brace, girt and purlin by size and length.
- Multiply each length by the section's mass per metre from the steel handbook.
- Add plates, connection material and miscellaneous items, either measured or as an allowance until shop drawings are done.
- Total the weight by category, because a tonne of columns and a tonne of bracing don't take the same effort.
Two estimators working from different drawing revisions, or one including connection material and the other not, will arrive at different tonnages for the same building. When you compare quotes, ask each bidder what tonnage they carried. A gap in tonnage often explains a gap in price better than anything else.
There is also a difference between the weight that is priced and the weight that is shipped. Drops and offcuts from stock lengths are bought but never leave the shop as part of your building, and good nesting keeps that waste small.
Structural steel vs miscellaneous metals
The CISC Code of Standard Practice, used widely in Canadian steel contracts, distinguishes structural steel from miscellaneous metal items. In practice, stairs, railings, ladders, lintels and similar items are often priced separately from the main frame because they are labour-heavy relative to their weight. If you see a single per-tonne figure applied to a package that includes stairs and rails, look closer. We cover those items in steel stairs cost.
What moves the price: market and trade
The material share of a steel quote moves with the market. Mill price changes, scrap and raw material costs, energy and overall demand all feed through, usually to raw stock first and to fabricated quotes as suppliers reprice.
Trade policy has added a lot of movement since 2025. As of October 2026:
- US tariffs. The US applies Section 232 tariffs to steel from Canada. They stayed in place after the July 2026 CUSMA joint review, which has cut Canadian steel exports to the US and pushed Canadian mills to sell more into the domestic market.
- Canadian counter-tariffs. Canada has applied surtaxes on many US-origin steel products since March 2025 and increased them for most steel products effective September 8, 2026. Some remission (relief) is available case by case.
- Import quotas. Canada applies tariff rate quotas to steel imports from countries other than the US and Mexico, with a surtax on volumes above quota. Structural steel, plate, rebar and hollow structural sections are among the covered classes. The program has been extended to June 27, 2027.
- Chinese-origin steel. A separate surtax applies to imports of certain steel goods melted and poured in China.
- Steel derivative goods. Since December 26, 2025, a surtax applies to certain imported steel derivative products, including prefabricated structures and building frames.
For buyers, the practical effects are that the origin of the material matters, imported fabricated steel no longer has the same cost position it once did, and fabricators may hold prices for shorter periods or include material escalation terms. Read those terms.
How to compare structural steel quotes
Two quotes can only be compared on price once they cover the same scope. Check:
| Item | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Tonnage and take-off | Did both bidders measure the same members from the same drawing revision? |
| Connections | Who designs them? Are connection material and bolts included? |
| Shop drawings | Included, and how many revisions? |
| Finish | Bare, primer, paint system, fireproofing, galvanizing? |
| Misc metals | Are stairs, rails, lintels and embeds in or out? |
| Delivery | Phased deliveries included? |
| Erection | Supply only, or supplied and erected? Crane included? |
| Certification | Is the shop CWB certified for the welding required? |
| Validity | How long is the price held, and is there an escalation clause? |
A lower number that leaves out connections, drawings or erection is not a lower price.
Get a real number for your project
The only reliable way to price structural steel is a take-off from your drawings. We prepare detailed take-offs and quotes free of charge, then produce shop drawings in-house once the job is approved. Engineering services are available where the project needs them, our shop welding is CWB certified, and we deliver and install across the GTA and Ontario year-round.
Send your structural drawings for a free quote, see the structural steel products we supply, or read our guide to buying structural steel in Ontario.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a standard price per tonne for structural steel today?
No. Market indices track raw mill products, but a fabricated and installed steel package is priced job by job. Two projects with the same tonnage can be priced very differently because of connections, piece count, finish and site conditions.
What is the difference between steel fabrication and steel erection?
Fabrication happens in the shop: cutting, drilling, fitting, welding and finishing members to the shop drawings. Erection happens on site: lifting, placing, plumbing and bolting or welding the members into the finished frame.
Why does light steel cost more per tonne than heavy steel?
Most fabrication and erection cost is per piece and per connection, not per kilogram. A tonne of small members has far more pieces, cuts and connections than a tonne of large beams, so each tonne carries more labour.
How do tariffs affect structural steel prices in Canada?
US tariffs on Canadian steel, Canadian surtaxes on many US-origin steel products, import quotas on other countries and surtaxes on Chinese-origin steel all affect what material costs and where it comes from. The effect varies by product and source, which is why quote validity periods have tightened.
