Algoma Steel is cutting 1,000 workers as it closes blast furnace and coke operations. The Canadian steelmaker is transitioning from traditional steelmaking to electric arc furnace technology, a shift that requires fewer workers but produces steel with a lower carbon footprint.
This is an example of green transition layoffs: jobs lost not because of AI or cost-cutting, but because cleaner production methods require different (and fewer) workers. The 1,000 cuts at a 3,500-person company represent a 28% reduction and will reshape the economy of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where Algoma is the largest employer.