Hundreds of Canadian steel workers hit with layoffs as Trumps tariffs squeeze industry

Hundreds of Canadian workers have already been laid off from steel plants as President Trump’s tariffs squeeze the industry.At least 200 Canadian members of the United Steelworkers – North America’s largest private-sector union – have lost their jobs thus far, according to Marty Warren, the group’s national director.United Steelworkers has more than 225,000 members in Canada.And Canadian companies have not been shy about placing the blame on Trump’s stiff tariffs – a 25% levy imposed on all steel and aluminum imports on March 12.Canada Metal Processing Group, for example, announced a workforce reduction of 140 production and office employees due to “the threat of incoming tariffs from the United States on steel and steel derivatives,” the company said in a Feb.

24 press release before the taxes took effect.The workforce reduction is a combination of permanent layoffs, temporary layoffs, work share and retirements, a spokesperson told Reuters.The company is freezing hiring for new and vacant roles.The firm said it would also take cost-cutting measures and cancel or pause some projects.Ontario-based Algoma Steel has also laid off about 20 workers, and could stand to lay off more, CEO Michael Garcia told Reuters.Warren said he expects “a tidal wave” of layoffs to follow next week when Trump’s 30-day pause on further tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as reciprocal taxes, ends.Tensions brewed between the US and Canada — the US’ largest steel supplier — as Trump took aim at former prime minister Justin Trudeau and made social media posts calling for the northern neighbor to become the 51st state.The president earlier this week signaled that he may take a more targeted approach to the April 2 tariffs – possibly excluding sector-specific tariffs while focusing more on reciprocal taxes, according to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.“I may give a lot of countries breaks,” Trump told reporters Monday in the Oval Office.But it stil...