The Communist Party of Canada (Ontario) condemned planned job cuts at Stelco’s Hamilton Works and Lake Erie facilities in a statement published on 13 October 2026, calling for public ownership of the steel industry and stronger protections for workers.
CP of Canada opposes layoffs and calls for nationalisation of steel industry
According to the party, Stelco announced 350 indefinite layoffs at Hamilton Works and more than 50 additional layoffs at its Lake Erie facility. The party expressed solidarity with the affected workers and their unions, United Steelworkers locals 1005 and 8782.
The statement linked the job cuts to the wider pressures facing Canadian industry amid trade tensions with the United States. It also argued that the layoffs raised questions about the conditions attached to Cleveland-Cliffs’ acquisition of Stelco in 2024, which the party said included commitments concerning employment and the operation of the facilities.
The Ontario organisation called for the nationalisation of the steel industry and demanded legislation enabling public authorities to prevent unjustified plant closures. It also advocated expanded public ownership in the automotive sector, alongside stronger Employment Insurance benefits for workers who lose their jobs.
The party further called for Canada to withdraw from the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), NATO and NORAD, presenting these demands as part of a broader alternative to the country’s existing economic and foreign policies.