The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the final determination of a combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 14.54% in the fifth annual review of unfairly traded Canadian softwood lumber imports into the United States.<\/p>\n
This United States government ruling substantiates that Canada continues to subsidize and dump its softwood lumber products in the United States, distorting the U.S. softwood lumber market to the detriment of U.S. sawmills, their employees and communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis even higher level of unfair trade by Canada could not have come at a worse time for domestic producers,\u201d stated Andrew Miller, Chairman of the U.S. Lumber Coalition and CEO of Stimson Lumber. \u201cLumber demand and prices are at record lows and mills across the country are struggling to keep afloat.\u201d<\/p>\n
The increased levels of unfair trade confirmed by the Commerce Department makes it clear that Canadian unfair trade practices are making a bad situation worse by accelerating and deepening market downcycles, resulting in today\u2019s extreme low lumber prices, forcing U.S. mill closures and layoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United States does not need the unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports to supply current levels of home construction, added Miller. \u201cWhat American mills, workers, and timberland holders need is the continued strong enforcement of the U.S. trade laws help facilitate a level playing field. That is how we retain production and availability of lumber produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes,\u201d concluded Miller.<\/p>\n
The U.S. lumber industry established its right to the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties in the face of unfair competition from Canada, and the Coalition supports the Commerce Department\u2019s continued commitment to enforce the U.S. trade laws against subsidized and unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports.<\/p>\n
Canada criticizes U.S. over sharp hike in softwood lumber tariffs<\/strong><\/p>\n Canada has condemned the U.S. Department of Commerce's\u00a0decision\u00a0to sharply increase duties on Canadian softwood lumber, raising the tariff from 8.05% to 14.54%. The move comes after the Department's fifth annual review of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on the wood products.\u00a0The new tariff rate will be applied retroactively to 2022 exports and will affect future shipments from companies subject to this review.<\/p>\n Mary Ng, Canada\u2019s Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, said the increased tariffs are \"unfair\" and will harm workers and industries on both sides of the border. She noted that U.S. consumers and businesses relying on Canadian lumber will likely face higher costs, potentially worsening housing affordability issues.<\/p>\n British Columbia\u2019s Minister of Forests, Bruce Ralston, also expressed deep disappointment with the U.S. decision, highlighting the severe impact on forestry workers and communities in the province. He noted that these duties not only harm Canadian interests but also increase the cost of building homes in the U.S., exacerbating affordability challenges for American consumers.<\/p>\n Ralston emphasized that British Columbia, alongside the Canadian government, will persist in contesting the duties through all available legal channels. Premier David Eby has directly urged the U.S. ambassador to eliminate these tariffs, advocating instead for economic cooperation that benefits both nations.<\/p>\n Andrew Mercier, B.C.\u2019s Minister of State for Sustainable Forest Innovation, reaffirmed the province\u2019s commitment to supporting its forestry sector. He outlined efforts to diversify markets for B.C. timber through local home-building projects and international trade partnerships. Mercier stressed that while the fight against these duties continues, the province will also focus on creating new opportunities for workers and communities within the forestry industry.<\/p>\n Canada has pledged to continue challenging the duties through multiple legal avenues, including NAFTA, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, and the World Trade Organization.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the final determination of a combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 14.54% in the fifth annual review of unfairly traded Canadian softwood lumber imports into the United States. This United States government ruling … Continue reading