VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lumber Trade Council is hitting out at protectionist measures against Canadian softwood lumber in the U.S. Acting on a petition from the country’s lumber lobby, the U.S. Commerce Department has imposed punitive countervailing duties similar to those which have been consistently struck down by NAFTA tribunals over the past decades.
“American demand for lumber exceeds what the U.S. lumber industry currently produces,” said Council president Susan Yurkovich. “And, with housing and construction starts on the rise, demand for lumber is expected to continue to grow in the years ahead. The fact is, Canadian lumber imports don’t pose a threat to the U.S. lumber industry. There is enough North American demand to grow the U.S. industry while also allowing Canada to supply its U.S. customers as we have been doing for decades.”
