Stelco idling Hamilton, Ont., plant, concentrating production at Lake Erie facility, Life in canada

Stelco Holdings Inc. is idling finishing operations at its plant in Hamilton, Ont., in a move that will reportedly see hundreds of workers laid off.

The company says the indefinite idle is part of a plan to concentrate production at its Lake Erie facility in Nanticoke, Ont.

It says a “significant” number of affected Hamilton employees will be offered jobs at the Lake Erie facility, though it refuses to give an exact number of layoffs. 

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.

Stelco’s move comes as Canada’s steel industry has felt the effects of U.S. tariffs.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2026.

By Daniel Johnson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.