What happened
Novelis announced on Friday, September 18, 2026, that it is reducing its salaried staff at the Kingston plant by 10 positions and temporarily laying off approximately 70 hourly employees. Combined, the cuts amount to roughly one third of the facility's entire workforce.
Tariffs named as the cause
The company pointed directly at the cost of Section 232 duties on Canadian aluminum entering the United States, which currently sit at 50 percent.
Company response
Novelis said it is supporting the employees affected through severance packages and outplacement services. "These are difficult decisions that affect our colleagues and their families, and we are supporting those impacted through this transition," the company said. Novelis also said it would work with the union representing hourly workers to recall employees if production picks back up.
Union reaction
Dan Wood, president of United Steelworkers Local 343, which represents production employees at the plant, called it "a sad day for Novelis and a sad day for Kingston." The union local has already been through one round of this: the Kingston plant laid off 21 employees back in June 2025, meaning Friday's announcement is the second hit to the site's workforce in just over a year.
Why it matters beyond Kingston
For Ottawa, the story is less about one factory and more about what it signals.
Novelis has not said when or whether the temporarily laid-off hourly workers might be recalled, only that it depends on production levels going forward.
Sources: Kingstonist
