Stelco to lay off up to 500 workers amid production shift, citing U.S. tariffs
Written by The Canadian Press on September 28, 2026
Stelco Holdings Inc. is laying off hundreds of workers as it moves to idle finishing operations at its plant in Hamilton, Ont. amid a production shift spurred by U.S. tariffs.
In a memo to employees seen by The Canadian Press, the company says up to 500 employees could be impacted across its Hamilton and Lake Erie facilities.
The company says the imposition of U.S. tariffs has significantly shrunk the market for its cold rolled and galvanized products.
The company says the indefinite idle is part of a plan to concentrate production at its Lake Erie facility in Nanticoke, Ont.
Pat Persico, a spokesperson for parent company Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., says Stelco’s product mix will change but that the tonnage of steel production will not be affected.
U.S.-based Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. acquired Stelco in 2024.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2026.
Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press