Stelco to Idle Hamilton Finishing Operations, Impacting Hundreds of Workers
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The company cites market uncertainty and steel imports as drivers for shifting production to its Lake Erie facility.
Stelco Holdings Inc. announced it will indefinitely idle finishing operations at its Hamilton Works facility, a move the company attributes to "market uncertainty" and prolonged business injury caused by steel imports into Canada, according to CityNews Toronto.
The company indicated that as many as 500 employees will be affected by the decision. However, Ron Wells, president of United Steelworkers Local 1005, told Global News that he believes the actual job losses will be closer to 350. Wells noted that the company specifically identified the coated departments and cold-mill as the affected areas, claiming the price for coated products is "very low" due to current conditions.
The company plans to concentrate production at its Lake Erie Works plant in Nanticoke (Haldimand), Ont. While Stelco told Global News that a "significant" number of affected Hamilton workers will be offered positions at the Lake Erie facility, the exact number of transfers remains unknown. Pat Persico, a spokesperson for parent company Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.—which acquired Stelco in 2024—stated that while the product mix will shift toward a higher concentration of hot rolled steel, the total tonnage of steel production will remain unaffected.
The layoffs occur amid a broader trade dispute. Global News reports that U.S. President Donald Trump implemented Section 232 duties approximately 18 months ago, levying tariffs of up to 50 percent on Canadian steel. While Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has implemented quotas and counter-tariffs, Wells argued these measures are not "strong enough."
Local officials and political leaders have condemned the move. Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Ned Kuruc described the layoffs as "devastating" for the community, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on Prime Minister Carney to take further action to support steelworkers.