Algoma Steel is shutting down its blast furnace and coke-making operations ahead of schedule due to Trump's tariffs, forcing hundreds of layoffs in the process.

The company will transition to an electric-arc furnace method by early 2026, describing the closure as necessary to protect its future against extraordinary market pressures. With shipments to the US accounting for roughly half of Algoma's total steel volumes, the tariffs have imposed severe financial strain, costing the company C$89.7 million in direct tariff expenses in just one quarter. 

Industry experts view this less as a strategic choice and more as a forced adaptation driven by unsustainable economic conditions. The closures threaten thousands of jobs and the stability of entire communities dependent on steel manufacturing.