Canada Metal Processing Group (MPG Canada), a leading steel producer with plants in Ontario and Quebec, has announced significant workforce reductions, citing U.S. tariffs as a primary driver. Effective immediately, at least 140 workers across its facilities—including Ivaco Rolling Mills in L’Orignal, Ontario—face temporary or permanent layoffs, a move the company links to market pressures intensified by a 25 percent U.S. levy on Canadian steel and aluminum, implemented Wednesday by President Donald Trump.
The cuts, first signaled in a February 24 news release, affect 150 workers at Ivaco Rolling Mills alone. Thirty have received permanent layoff notices, while 120 others face a one-week layoff starting next week. MPG Canada attributes the decision to “challenging market conditions,” including reduced demand sparked by tariff threats—now a reality—and “unfair trade imports into Canada.” The company, which also operates facilities in Quebec, warns that these pressures threaten its long-term viability without relief.
The layoffs hit hard in L’Orignal, a tight-knit community of 1,400, where Ivaco is a cornerstone employer. Champlain Township Mayor Normand Riopel expressed deep concern: “It’s not just a steel plant—it’s a whole community. From workers to subcontractors and local businesses, we all feel this impact. These jobs keep us thriving.”
Residents echo the unease. Louise Seguin, whose son has worked at Ivaco for 15 years, called the news “awful,” warning, “If Ivaco goes, the town’s finished.” Debi Woods, another local, lamented Trump’s unpredictability: “Nobody knows what he’ll do next—it’s a shame.” Retired worker Miles Downing added, “This place isn’t easy to work at, and now it’s downright depressing for folks.”
The United Steelworkers (USW) union, representing Ivaco employees, decried the layoffs as a blow to Canadian workers. Eastern Ontario coordinator Richard Leblanc noted, “There’s real worry on the shop floor. It’s tough to plan your life with this kind of hostility hanging over us.” The USW is pressing Ottawa for urgent support to shield steelworkers from tariff fallout, warning that more jobs could be at risk without action.
MPG Canada remains committed to its workforce and communities but stresses that external pressures—U.S. tariffs and trade imbalances—demand broader solutions. The company’s February statement flagged these challenges months ago, underscoring that even the threat of tariffs had already slashed demand. With Canada retaliating this week by imposing tariffs on $29.8 billion in U.S. goods, the trade war’s toll is mounting.