# The fight over Canadian steelworker jobs

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-fight-over-canadian-steelworker-jobs/
- Published: 2026-11-13T17:10:43+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T22:39:17+00:00
- Original publisher: Al Jazeera (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/11/13/the-fight-over-canadian-steelworker-jobs?traffic_source=rss
- Topics: Americas, Business, Economy, World

## Key points

- Stelco layoffs follow temporary cuts at two Ontario sites.
- The company points to tariffs and cheaper imports.
- Workers and their union question the reasons for the cuts.

## Summary

Stelco’s American owner, Cleveland-Cliffs, has temporarily shut parts of its Ontario operations, leaving hundreds of Canadian steelworkers facing layoffs. The company cites US tariffs and cheaper imported steel, while workers and government officials question whether those pressures fully explain the decision and whether the cuts serve the owner’s interests.

Hamilton worker Chelsey Masteij was laid off on 9 October after about three years at the plant, where she operated cranes and worked in coke ovens. US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, including from Canada, rose to 50 per cent in June 2025; Stelco says Canadian exports of cold-rolled and coated steel to the US fell 58 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the pre-trade-war quarterly average. Demand has also weakened in Canada, while the union says Cleveland-Cliffs declined its offer to jointly lobby for stronger import protections.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.