Canada Challenges Lumber Duties

Canada will challenge the final results of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s fifth Canadian softwood lumber reviews, according to a statement from Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development.

“Today, Canada took the necessary steps to begin two legal challenges under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s decision to increase softwood lumber duties: one contesting U.S. anti-dumping duties and the other contesting U.S. countervailing duties. In its most recent annual reviews of softwood lumber duty rates, the United States further increased the unfair and unjust duties on Canadian softwood lumber, hurting Canadian industry and jobs and increasing housing costs in both countries.”

Ng said that in every meeting she has had with Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative, that Ng has emphasized the benefit of finding a mutually beneficial solution that creates greater opportunities in the forestry sectors in Canada and the U.S. Canada remains ready to seek a resolution that would provide the stability and predictability the sector needs to ensure its continued growth and success.”

In mid-August, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce announced a final determination of a combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 14.54%. Accordiing to the U.S. Lumber Coalition, the 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.