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The fight over Canadian steelworker jobs
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.
In short
- 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.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The company’s case is that steep US tariffs have sharply reduced a key export market, while weaker Canadian demand and cheaper imports leave its Ontario operations with too little business to sustain current production. Temporarily idling parts of the plants and reducing staffing may therefore be a commercial response to falling orders, intended to limit losses and preserve the business until conditions improve.
The case against
Workers and officials can reasonably question whether tariffs and weak demand tell the whole story, especially if the owner has not pursued the union’s offer to seek stronger import protections together. They may argue that the cuts shift the cost of the company’s decisions onto Canadian workers and communities, and that an owner with control over production and advocacy has responsibilities to explore alternatives before laying people off.
Explained simply
Stelco is a long-established steelmaker based in Hamilton, Ontario. It is owned by Cleveland-Cliffs, a US steel company, and its Canadian plants employ workers in roles ranging from operating heavy equipment to making steel in coke ovens.
Steel is used in cars, construction and other industries, so mills can be affected by changes in demand and trade. Canada sells some of its steel to the United States, where tariffs—taxes on imported goods—can make it more expensive for buyers. Canadian steelmakers also face competition from imports and shifts in demand at home.
The dispute involves the company, its workers and governments weighing how to protect jobs and the steel industry. The union has questioned whether trade pressures alone explain the cuts and says the owner declined to join its call for stronger protections against imports.
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