Job losses a ‘real’ prospect for Hamilton workers as tariffs on steel, aluminum come into effect: Horwath

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath discusses the negative effects U.S. tariffs are having on the city.

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath is warning of “terrifying” consequences for the city affectionately known as Steeltown if U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum continue.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian steel and aluminum officially came into effect on Wednesday, a move which could spell “big trouble” for Hamilton, Horwath said in an interview with CP24.

“If it continues for any amount of time, even at the 25 per cent, it’s going to cause negative ripple effects our community. It is completely terrifying to be frank,” she said Wednesday.

“The longer this goes without a solid resolution the more entrenched those job losses become. It is such an integrated economy that the relationships between suppliers and customers on both sides of the border begin to fray over time.”

Trump previously walked back a threat Tuesday to raise steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent, after Premier Doug Ford agreed to remove a short-lived 25 per cent surcharge on electricity the province ships to three U.S. states.

On Wednesday morning, the federal government announced reciprocal dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum imports in response to Trump’s tariffs.

Horwath said even before the tariffs came into effect, Trump’s threats were impacting local businesses.

“When this conversation started before any tariffs were already implemented, so several weeks ago, already companies were telling me that their orders were starting to dry up,” she said.

“These companies and these businesses don’t want uncertainty.”

Horwath said the threat of job losses in Hamilton is “very real.”

“This has serious, serious impacts on my community,” she added.

At Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, more than two dozen people were been laid off Tuesday amid the ongoing trade war.

Horwath said she is pleased to see that Premier Doug Ford is heading to Washington this week to address the situation.

“If it does not begin to resolve, then we are going to be looking at the other orders of government to help support the businesses and the workers who are impacted,” she said.

With files from CTV News Northern Ontario