Canada’s Stelco to recall 175 workers after government pressure

Stelco will recall all 175 workers laid off at its Hamilton plant and pay them back wages, after pressure from the Canadian government and the steelworkers’ union. The decision averts a threatened court action to force the company’s US owner, Cleveland-Cliffs, to sell Stelco.

The workers are due back on 1 December, after Stelco secured customer agreements to restart finishing operations. Cleveland-Cliffs had announced possible layoffs of up to 500 workers across its Ontario plants, citing weak demand, US tariffs and cheaper foreign steel. Ottawa said the cuts breached commitments made when Cleveland-Cliffs bought Stelco in 2024, including maintaining unionised Canadian employment through 2029.