CLEVELAND — Cleveland-Cliffs said Monday it is idling some production at its steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, and laying off hundreds of workers, blaming U.S. tariffs on imported steel for the cuts.
CBC News reported that an internal company memo said the cold-rolled and coated operations at the Stelco plant will be idled indefinitely, with operations winding down starting Oct. 9. As many as 500 employees will be affected.
The layoffs trace back to a June 2025 executive order in which President Donald Trump applied tariffs of up to 50 percent on certain steel and aluminum imports from Canada. “Import volumes remain at levels that prevent Stelco from being able to bridge the gap in the market created by the trade crisis,” the memo said, according to CBC.
In a media release, Stelco confirmed it is idling the finishing operations in Hamilton and will concentrate steel production at its Nanticoke, Ontario works. Hamilton employees will be offered jobs at the Nanticoke plant, the company said. Cleveland-Cliffs, headquartered in Cleveland, acquired Stelco in 2024.
