Algoma Steel Group Inc. has served layoff notices to about 1,000 workers and plans to close its blast furnace in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., in a bid to weather the financial storm emanating from U.S. tariffs.

The northern Ontario company said on Monday that it is closing its Sault Ste. Marie’s blast furnace and coke-making operations in early 2026 as part of its transition to electric arc furnace steelmaking — a year earlier than originally planned.

“These tariffs have fundamentally altered the competitive landscape and sharply limited our ability to access the U.S. market,” said Laura Devoni, Algoma Steel’s vice president of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, in an emailed statement. “As a result of these pressures, Algoma has been forced to conclude its long history as an integrat

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