International Trade Minister Mary Ng said Canada is extremely disappointed that the United States has decided to increase the tariffs it imposes on most Canadian softwood lumber producers.
The US government said on Wednesday that its final combined anti-dumping and countervailing duty rate for most Canadian producers would be 17.9%.
That’s slightly lower than the preliminary rate of 18.32% released in May, but double the initial rate of 8.99%.
Ms. Ng called on the United States to stop imposing these “unfair rights” that hurt Canadian communities, businesses and workers while increasing housing and renovation costs for American consumers.
Final rates for four Canadian producers were reduced slightly from May. Canfor’s final rate is 19.54%, up from 21.04% in May; that of West Fraser Timber Co. is 11.12%, compared to 11.38%; that of Resolute Forest Products was 29.66%, compared to 30.22%; and that of JD Irving is 15%, against 15.82%.
Ms. Ng said the Canadian government will continue to defend the softwood lumber industry, including through litigation under Chapter 10 of the Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA ), Chapter 19 of NAFTA and the World Trade Organization.
“All of these forums have consistently held that Canada is a fair trading partner,” she said in a press release.
“Canada has always been willing to explore the possibilities of restoring predictable cross-border trade in the lumber sector, and remains convinced that a negotiated solution to this long-standing trade dispute is in the best interests of both. country, ”she added.
The Bloc Québécois international trade critic, Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, said he believed the federal government “missed a golden opportunity to make the softwood lumber issue a priority”.
“Following today’s announcement, it is even more shocking that the Canadian government has not taken advantage of the arrival of the new US administration to demand a full exemption from all tariffs and quotas on Quebec lumber exports to the United States, ”said Mr. Savard-Tremblay in an email.
“North American collaboration through green trade is essential in this context of the climate crisis. Justin Trudeau must act, ”he added.
The BC Lumber Trade Council says final rates are not unexpected, but still disappointing, especially as US producers are unable to meet domestic demand.
“Our firm hope is that the American industry will end this decades-long litigation and instead work with us to meet the demand for low-carbon wood products that the world wants, including American families,” he said. said board chair Susan Yurkovich.
“Until then, we will continue to vigorously defend our industry against these baseless allegations. “