Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will support “all the actions” the federal government will take against the owner of Stelco over recent layoffs and idling of its Hamilton plant.
“You make a commitment, it’s a commitment. You don’t go back on your commitments,” Ford said on Thursday when asked whether Ontario could partner with the federal government in buying Stelco back.
After U.S.-based Cleveland-Cliffs announced that it would lay off 500 people and shut down part of the Hamilton operation, the federal government threatened the company with legal action, saying that the move violates the commitment it made under the Investment Canada Act when it acquired Stelco in 2024 to protect Canadian jobs.
“I was pretty hard on Lorenzo a while back in the media,” Ford said, referring to his 2025 comments about Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lorenco Goncalves. The premier, responding to Goncalves’ remarks calling U.S. tariffs as “bold action,” said at the time that the CEO didn’t give “two hoots” about his workers at Stelco.
“I hate to say I was right, but I was right. So, we’re going to make sure that our number one priority is going to be to protect the community and the workers that work at Stelco and all the other steel workers right across the province. So, we’ll be working collaboratively with the federal government,” the premier said.
Earlier this month, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles called on Ford and Carney to buy Stelco to save jobs.
Goncalves has refuted the government’s claims and maintained that Stelco will meet the commitments. He has also called the government’s threats harassment and bullying.
Prime Minister Carney reiterated on Thursday that his government “will pursue all actions” to ensure that Cleveland-Cliffs meet their commitments.
“When you make a commitment with the Government of Canada, you respect that commitment, and the government will hold companies to the responsibility,” Carney said.
When asked why he hasn’t initiated a suit, the prime minister said his government is “being very careful” and is taking steps consistent with the legal process.
“There’s also an opportunity, of course, for the company to respect their commitments, and of course we’re happy to sit down and work with them,” Carney said.
On Thursday, Carney and Ford unveiled nearly $9 billion in aid to support Ontario’s steel and auto sectors.
It includes a $5 billion Join Steel Fund, which they said will enable mills to upgrade machinery and manufacture more products Canada needs.
Carney also said that his government will further strengthen Canada Border Services Agency enforcement to protect against foreign steel dumping.
“We have the best steelworkers in the world. We have vast natural resources, yet we import over six and a half million tonnes of steel a year, and that’s often because we don’t make the steel that Canadian companies need. It’s time to be our own best customer,” the prime minister said.
