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BC Lumber Trade Council applauds NAFTA Panel decision on softwood lumber tariffs

Linda Coady, president of the BC Lumber Trade Council made the following statement in response to the NAFTA panel decision on Canadian softwood lumber products:

“The BC Lumber Trade Council welcomes the NAFTA panel decision sending essential aspects of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s flawed antidumping investigation determination back for further review. While this NAFTA panel decision does not remove the tariffs currently levied on BC producers, the ruling is a step forward and it validates Canada’s long-held position that Commerce’s determinations in the lumber dispute are unlawful.

“U.S. duties on Canadian and British Columbian producers of softwood lumber are unwarranted and unfair. We will continue to pursue all avenues to come to a resolution on this softwood lumber dispute.

“The interests of Canadian and US producers alike would be much better served by both sides in this long running dispute working together to resolve it and grow markets domestically and internationally. This would also allow both countries to focus on more critical issues like climate change, cross-border wildfire protection, and housing affordability. Until then, B.C. producers are forced to continue vigorously defending our industry against these meritless allegations.”

The trade council added that the B.C. forest industry is a major contributor to the provincial economy and supports thousands of jobs in the province. B.C. is the largest Canadian exporter of softwood lumber to the U.S.