Hamilton MPs Lisa Hepfner, John-Paul Danko say steel industry woes from tariffs ‘heard loudly’

VIDEO: Hamilton MPs Lisa Hepfner and John-Paul Danko are expected to hold a press conference about U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs and their impact on Hamilton’s economy at 11:05 a.m.

Two of Hamilton’s Liberal MPs and the Chamber of Commerce met privately Friday with members of the city’s steel industry, and they said they got the message about how devastating U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs really are.

Companies that make up Hamilton’s steel industry have been reluctant to speak publicly all through the tariff war with the United States, but they spoke out behind closed doors.

“The overarching message from everyone is that steel production, steel manufacturing in Canada is not sustainable with a 50 per cent tariff, and the urgency for immediate action – that was heard loudly,” said John-Paul Danko, the new Liberal MP of Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas.

ArcelorMittal Dofasco has already announced 153 layoffs at its wire mill, and the MPs say many more of Hamilton’s 10,000 steel jobs could be endangered by Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs.

“At a 50 per cent tariff, there is not a market sustainable option to continue steel making in Canada and that’s the reality,” said Danko. “It takes time to transition to new markets and change production and in the short term, this is a very real crisis.”

“I think there’s a lot of companies who, if they haven’t laid people off yet, it could be coming imminently,” said Lisa Hepfner, the Liberal MP of Hamilton Mountain. “So that leads to a lot of fear in the market and a lot of uncertainty.”

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce says this could be bad for the whole city.

“The impact would ripple throughout the community, from impacts to our workforce, to impacts to, you know you just continue to work through our community,” said Greg Dunnett, the CEO and president of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Thursday he wanted to establish a trade deal with Trump within a month, or he’s threatening counter tariffs.

He did not say how much they’d be.

“We must reinforce our strength at home, and safeguard Canadian workers and businesses from the unjust U.S. tariffs that exist at present,” said Carney.

The Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) said it’s willing to give the prime minister time, but it’s worried.

“We’re struggling to wonder whether we’re actually being heard by the government – we don’t think that the measures announced are what’s required at this time,” said Keanin Loomis, the president and CEO of CISC. “Some of them are pretty weak, others don’t have a lot of facts or details related to them, so I want to give the government some space, but at this point in time we’re a little concerned.”

The Chamber of Commerce said the level of concern in the steel companies is higher Friday than it was three months ago, as the tariff war goes on.

The MPs who were at Friday’s meeting acknowledge that there’s more the government has to do.

WATCH MORE: 153 workers to be let go as ArcelorMittal closes Hamilton wire mill