Full Breakdown
Ontario NDP Calls for Public Purchase of Stelco Amid Layoffs
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) is urging Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Mark Carney to use public funds to acquire Stelco, the Hamilton steel producer owned by U.S.-based Cleveland Cliffs. The company has begun laying off hundreds of workers after stating that its Ontario plant is producing more steel than can be sold domestically. NDP leader Marit Stiles framed provincial ownership as the only viable way to preserve roughly 350 jobs.
Background & Context
Cleveland Cliffs purchased Stelco in 2024 under the Investment Canada Act, which required the new owner to maintain existing union and non-union positions. The firm’s CEO has publicly supported former U.S. President Donald Trump’s steel tariffs, which the NDP describes as “designed to deindustrialize our economy.” Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly warned that the 2024 approval was contingent on those employment commitments, a condition Stelco says it continues to meet.
Official Statements & Responses
Federal NDP leader Avi Lewis echoed the call, declaring it “time to nationalize Stelco.” Ford’s office described the owner’s tariff stance as indifferent to Stelco workers and hinted that the premier had previously mused about the province buying the plant. Joly reiterated that any federal involvement would require a review of the 2024 agreement, especially after the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections that could reshape trade policy.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 350 jobs are at risk from the current layoff wave.
- More than 500 workers in Hamilton face potential job loss.
- United Steelworkers represents over 225,000 Canadian workers and supports public ownership of Stelco.
Verbatim Quotes
“Maybe they should find a new owner for Stelco, maybe we should just buy em,” — Premier Doug Ford