Cleveland-Cliffs CEO says Stelco workers to be recalled if steel trade deal reached
Written by The Canadian Press on October 8, 2026
The chief executive of Stelco’s U.S.-based parent company says hundreds of southern Ontario steelworkers facing temporary layoffs will be recalled if Canada and the United States reach a trade deal on steel.
Lourenco Goncalves, chairman and CEO of Ohio-based Cleveland-Cliffs, says the Canadian market is too small to accommodate galvanized steel production from both Stelco and ArcelorMittal Dofasco, along with imports.
He says he has spent more than a year and a half pushing Ottawa for stronger protections against foreign steel imports, arguing that measures adopted so far have helped the hot-rolled steel market but have not gone far enough to protect galvanized steel.
Goncalves also rejected comments from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly that the company cannot blame the layoffs on U.S. tariffs when he has publicly supported those tariffs, calling her comments “totally unfair” and “playing with words.”
Goncalves says he supports protecting the steel industries in both Canada and the United States from foreign imports, advocating for a trade arrangement that would restrict overseas steel imports while restoring access to the American market for Canadian galvanized steel.
His comments come after Stelco announced last week plans to lay off up to 500 workers across its Hamilton and Lake Erie facilities, citing the ongoing trade crisis, weak demand and continued import pressure.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2026.
Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press