Dozens of local steelworkers and workers from unions across Ontario are calling for policy changes to support the Canadian steel industry in the light of U.S. tariffs.
The workers rallied at the corner of Banwell Road and the E.C. Row Expressway in front of a new overpass currently being constructed.
Workers expressed their frustrations with the build, which will see an overpass over Banwell Road, as it is being constructed with foreign steel from the U.S. and other countries such as Turkey, Korea, or Taiwan.
Drivers may notice a large steel structure on the side of the Expressway, which is the foundation for the overpass.
This project, according to local workers, could have easily been constructed with steel that is made in Windsor-Essex, or even other municipalities such as Hamilton.
The United Steelworkers union is calling for the federal government to make policy changes to ensure that Canadian steel is being prioritized for local projects.
Barry Zekelman, CEO of Zekelman Industries, who leads the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America, says it's insulting to see this project.
"When you drive by there's a big hammer that pounds those into the ground, and every time I hear that hammer hit, it's like driving a stake in my heart and in my gut. It's terrible. They're pounding this foreign steel into our soil to build our infrastructure, and it actually just defies logic and common sense why we would do that."
Zekelman says the federal government says they want to protect local jobs, but in the end they aren't.
"They're not doing it, they don't realize how deep this goes, they think we'll say that on the surface... it's one thing saying it, it's another thing making it happen. They've got to go into the MTO specs, they've got to go to the engineers, they've got to put it in their guidelines to use Canadian steel. This product here is perfectly substitutable with the tubing we make with the steel from Hamilton."
Scott Cressman, team leader at Atlas Tube Steel in Harrow, has worked at the plant for 29 years.
He says there needs to be real change from the federal government.
"I'm hoping they're going to follow some sort of model like they're doing in the States, start blocking these imports. There's so much Canadian steel that can be spent in this country, and used in this country for projects just like this, and other projects, and they're just not allowing that to actually happen."
He says they've been impacted by the tariffs, with production down 40 per cent.
"It's definitely hurting our plant, it's hurting our jobs, it's hurting our incomes, and it's hurting our families and communities. So, things like this, it's far reaching, and then it has a greater impact on the entire economy as itself. So, we need to do more to try to protect everything."
Cressman says they could've constructed this build with local product.
"More than capable, so there's no reason why they couldn't have looked at that, and used products that we make and use them in a project just like this."
Ron Wells, President of Local 1005 representing Stelco Hamilton employees, says they felt it was important to support the region as they're feeling the affects as well.
"They're using off-shore steel, stuff that we make at Stelco that we sell to a customer who can supply for this project, so we're kind of disappointed."
As of June 4, the United States upped the tariff on Canadian steel from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.
As of September 1, the Canadian government applies a 25 per cent tariff to steel and aluminum products and auto imports originating from the U.S.
The overpass project is expected to be ongoing until 2027. The nearly $100-million upgrades are needed to help accommodate traffic flow due to the NextStar Energy electric vehicle battery plant.
Local steelworkers and workers from unions across Ontario are standing in solidarity at the corner of Banwell Road and the EC Row Expressway to support the Canadian steel industry in light of U.S. tariffs. The new overpass at Banwell is being constructed with foreign steel. pic.twitter.com/WwAWanuB1c
— Meagan Delaurier (she/her) (@DelaurierMeagan) October 10, 2025