Nova says the layoffs could become permanent if no new trade measures come in the next two or three months.
Nova Steel, Canada’s only producer of standard steel pipe, is temporarily laying off 36 workers at its Saint-Patrick facility and is calling for Buy Canadian requirements on government projects at every level.
The company makes pipe used in fire protection, mining, water well casing, fencing, and plumbing and heating. It says a surge of low-priced imports has cut into demand, and the layoffs take effect Nov. 13, 2026.
“Today, with our standard steel pipe backlog plummeting due to a surge of unfairly priced imports, we must take the unfortunate decision to cut shifts and lay off employees at a very difficult time of year,” said Scott Jones, president and CEO of Nova Steel.
Nova says it has invested more than $200 million in new technology and modern buildings, but its share of the Canadian market remains below 25 per cent. The company makes its pipe from Canadian-produced hot-rolled coil and says it won’t switch to imported coil to compete on price.
Among its requests to Ottawa, Nova wants Buy Canadian mandates strengthened and enforced for all government projects, including provincial and municipal work, along with incentives for private sector projects that use Canadian steel. It is also calling for stronger trade enforcement against dumped imports and a “North American fortress” approach to steel.
Jones warned the layoffs may not stay temporary.
“The layoffs are temporary for now, but if no new measures to address unfairly traded imports are taken in the next 2 or 3 months, they could become permanent and lead to more layoffs,” he said.