By The Canadian Press

WELLAND, Ont. - Lakeside Steel Inc. (TSXV:LS) said Wednesday that the Canada Border Services Agency has applied a preliminary duty of up to 182 per cent on oil and gas well casing and tubing from China.

The duty followed a preliminary determination by the agency that Chinese imports of welded oil and gas well casing and seamless and welded oil and gas well tubing have been dumped and subsidized in the Canadian market, the company said.

CBSA is expected to issue a final determination on Feb. 22.

The investigations followed a complaint filed jointly by Lakeside Steel and the other Canadian producers of oil and gas well casing and tubing.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has also launched a related investigation to determine whether Canadian producers have been injured by the dumped and subsidized Chinese imports, Lakeside said.

The CITT will issue its determination on March 23.