CBC News reported that Evraz has given out layoff notices to about 400 people across Western Canada.

As per report, that includes about 100 workers at the Evraz Regina Steel plant, who have been told they will be out of work by the end of March. Most of the layoffs are in Alberta. About 75 people are to be laid off at operations in Red Deer.Another 100 are getting notice in Calgary and 120 will be out of work in Camrose.

Mr Jim Clarke VP of tubular operations said that Evraz is feeling the pinch as energy companies put projects on hold during the economic slowdown. He said "Drilling rights right now are at a 10 year low for this time of year. We have a traditional slowdown in Western Canada oil drilling business in spring anyway. However, our customers are telling us this year that they expect activities after spring breakup to be much slower then we would have assumed a few months ago."

Mr Bill Edwards president of United Steel Workers Local 5890, which represents Regina Evraz workers, said that "The portion of our business that's going down is the small diameter weld pipe. They are not drilling enough holes."

Mr Edwards added that “While periodic layoffs are expected in the steel business as inventories build up, this year the situation is more dire. With layoffs in the tube making section of the Regina plant, it is expected there will be a ripple effect in the steel-making portion as well. However, nobody knows how many layoffs there will be in that division.”

(Sourced from CBC)