EI clinics announced for laid-off steelworkers: Sheehan

Algoma Steel employees affected by the recently announced layoffs will be able to attend special on-site clinics to help expedite the process of receiving employment insurance benefits, says Sault MP Terry Sheehan.

The Service Canada clinics will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 25 and 26 in the computer labs at Algoma Steel. On Friday, a virtual clinic will be available to those who cannot make it in person.

At an unrelated funding announcement on Wednesday, Sheehan told SooToday that recent events have created some stress for those affected by the layoffs. An estimated one-quarter of Algoma Steel's 3,000 employees will be temporarily laid off because of the weekend pipe collapse at its coke-making facility.

“We want to make sure those who are eligible for EI are processed expeditiously so they can get the benefits they deserve when they can," said Sheehan. "My hope is the workers can get back to work as soon as possible, but this has been a priority, to make sure the workers are looked after." 

Ontario's Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks is the lead agency responding to the weekend incident. Sheehan said the National Environmental Emergencies Centre is providing technical and scientific advice to the province in relation to the incident.

Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said he has been in regular contact with Algoma Steel since the collapse and that he met yesterday with USW 2251 leadership about the layoffs.

Shoemaker noted so far the issues are being dealt with by the provincial and federal governments, but he promised to be available if needed.

“We [the city] are open to having a role if there are issues that arise that have municipal involvement to assist the provincial government, federal government or the union or to mediate any issues that arise," said Shoemaker.

Algoma Steel revealed over the weekend that a major pipe collapse at its coke-making plant resulted in abnormal air emissions and discharge of effluent into the St. Marys River. No injuries were reported as a result of the Saturday morning incident.

Both the Environment Ministry and Algoma Public Health have said the spill poses no threat to city drinking water.