These tariffs are making housing and lumber more expensive on both sides of the border
At a time when countries need to work together in the face of rising costs related to global inflation, the United States Department of Commerce indicated that they would continue to apply duties on Canadian softwood lumber exported to US.
BC ministers have expressed their frustration on these unjustified duties on B.C. and Canadian softwood lumber exports to the U.S.
In a joint statement Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests; Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation; and George Chow, Minister of State for Trade, said that these tariffs are making housing and lumber more expensive on both sides of the border.
Our forests make B.C. one of the best places to live. Forests nurture plants, wildlife and fish in watersheds and provide good-paying jobs. As we strive to make a more robust, sustainable forest economy, what we need most is partners across the border who work with us, not against us, in making a stronger forest sector for Canada and the United States.
The ministers while expressing solidarity with the industry said that the government will always stand up for the 50,000 hard-working people in our forest industry against these unwarranted duties.
“We will continue to work with the Government of Canada to advocate for a fair market for B.C. wood products, and vigorously defend against this unfair U.S. trade action on softwood lumber. This includes relentlessly pursuing litigation through all available avenues, including under the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement and the World Trade Organization.”
The Surrey Board of Trade warned that this decision compromises regional economic development in the Cascadia Corridor.
The dispute was set in motion when the US lumber industry objected to the low Canadian stumpage rates and transportation costs, perceived by the US as an unfair advantage. US producers contended that Canada was subsidizing its lumber industry by allocating timber in a non-competitive manner.
“We are deeply concerned with this continued burden on an industry so important to the BC and Canadian economy. The Surrey Board of Trade calls on the federal government to scale up their efforts in negotiating the end of these unjust duties,” said Anita Huberman, President & CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.
As inflation, housing affordability, and supply chain issues persist, many industries face significant economic pressures that could force them to close or relocate to other jurisdictions.
Surrey is home to many wood manufacturing companies that are significant employers, such as The Teal-Jones Group, S&R Sawmills, Pacific Lumber, Catalyst Paper, the Sundher Group, Key West Forest Products and Riverside Forest Products, to name a few. Workers and businesses are dependent on a healthy forest sector.
Harvesting of timber in BC generates over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, including thousands in Surrey. Well-managed and sustainable forestry will be around for as long as people use wood and paper products. It’s the ultimate renewable industry.
