Overview

• Over 200 Canadian workers in the steel and aluminum sectors have been laid off following the implementation of U.S. tariffs on March 12, with additional layoffs anticipated.
• Canada Metal Processing Group has cut 140 jobs, while Ontario-based Algoma Steel has laid off 27 workers, citing challenges in finding new Canadian customers.
• The United Steelworkers union warns that up to 100,000 members could be impacted if additional tariffs take effect on April 2, marking a potential escalation in the crisis.
• The Canadian government has introduced measures such as earlier access to employment insurance and a multibillion-dollar aid program, but advocates are calling for broader systemic reforms.
• Economists caution that the longer tariffs remain in place, the greater the economic uncertainty and labor market disruptions for Canadian workers and businesses.