The United States continues to face a structural deficit in softwood lumber supply, a situation expected to persist through 2030. The country has never produced enough softwood lumber to meet its own consumption needs. Housing construction and residential remodeling account for nearly all US lumber use, making demand highly sensitive to interest rates, affordability and labour availability. While the US represents around 27% of global softwood lumber demand, it produces only about 20% of global supply, requiring substantial imports to bridge the gap.  For the past five decades, imported lumber has accounted for 25%–33% of US consumption ...