As U.S. President Donald Trump threatens new 50 per cent tariffs on various Canadian products, the head of a Hamilton steelworkers union says the situation is "concerning" for those in the industry.
Tariffs have already hurt Canadian steel sales to America, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1005 president Ron Wells told CBC Hamilton on Monday. Additional tariffs could raise the cost of living and broadly affect sales at other businesses that steel producers supply, he said.
Fifty per cent tariffs on steel have been in place since last year, so it's not clear exactly what Trump meant when he said on social media that levies would increase to 50 per cent as of Jan. 1 for steel, automobiles and auto parts.
Hamilton is home to two of the largest primary steel producers in Canada — ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Stelco — as well as a plethora of fabricators.
Wells, whose local represents about 620 workers at Stelco, said business has been "very slow" since tariffs took effect.
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Early Saturday, 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on about $28 billion worth of Canadian goods also kicked in, after trade negotiations between the two countries fell apart. Prime Minister Carney has said Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. starting Sept. 8.
In a statement on Aug. 22, Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath said that "as a steel and manufacturing city with a significant agricultural sector, we know the uncertainty ahead will be stressful for many Hamiltonians."
"I will continue to advocate for our federal and provincial partners to stand firmly behind Canadian workers and industries so Hamilton businesses have the support they need as they continue to weather this uncertainty," Horwath said.
Greg Dunnett, CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, said Monday that the city is "one of the most negatively impacted communities," and will need support and investment.
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CBC Hamilton reached out to Cleveland-Cliffs, which bought Stelco in July 2024, to ask about the impact of current and threatened tariffs on its operations in Canada, but did not receive a response before publication.
In a July 23 earnings call, Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves said Stelco was "lagging" and, "Without further measures to protect fair trade in Canada, the future competitiveness of our galvanizing lines in Hamilton is at risk."
Wells said he hopes the company will honour commitments it made to preserve unionized jobs in Canada, adding: "Those comments are worrisome."
Stelco also operates in Nanticoke, Ont., along Lake Erie.
