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Algoma Steel Announces Over 1,000 Layoffs Amid Tariffs and Transition

  Reeling from high tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Algoma Steel confirmed Monday it has issued layoff notices to about 1,000 workers.  Algoma Steel, a major employer in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, has confirmed plans to lay off more than 1,000 workers in the coming months. The company issued 1,050 layoff notices as part of its decision to shut down its blast furnace and coke oven operations, accelerating its transition to electric arc furnace (EAF) technology. The layoffs, expected to take effect by March 23, 2026 , come as Algoma faces mounting financial pressures. The company reported nearly half a billion dollars in losses last quarter and cited “unprecedented tariffs” imposed by the United States as a key factor in reshaping its competitive landscape. Union leaders from United Steelworkers Locals 2724 and 2251 confirmed the layoffs, noting that while the workforce had anticipated job reductions tied to the EAF transition, the U.S. tariffs accelerated ...

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Pharmacare in Canada: A Dream or a Reality?

 


The fate of Canada's pharmacare plan is uncertain as the federal government faces challenges in implementing a universal drug coverage program, even if a bill to create one passes in Parliament. Bill C-213, the Canada Pharmacare Act, aims to establish a national framework for pharmacare that would ensure all Canadians have access to prescription drugs based on their medical needs, not their ability to pay. 

However, the bill does not specify how the program would be funded, administered or negotiated with the provinces and territories, leaving many questions unanswered about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of pharmacare. Some experts and stakeholders have expressed doubts about whether Ottawa has the political will, the constitutional authority and the fiscal capacity to deliver on its promise of pharmacare, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has strained the health care system and the public purse.

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