Canada got some good news yesterday in the long-running fight with the United States over softwood lumber.
A free trade review panel concluded the US commerce department made an error in calculating anti-dumping duties imposed on Canadian lumber exporters earlier this year. The average rate was set at 8%.
The commerce department will now review and recalculate the duties.
In a statement federal trade minister Mary Ng says she’s pleased with the results, and adds the duties are unfair and unwarranted. She says the only fair outcome is for all duties on Canadian lumber exports to be removed.
“The panel directed the US Department of Commerce to review key aspects of its determination. Canada will continue to have an active voice during this process,” she says. “Canada is a world leader in softwood lumber, which is an important industry that creates good, well-paying jobs for thousands of Canadians and supports communities across our country.”
BC’s Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston also weighed in on the decision.
It is encouraging to see the NAFTA panel agree with the extensive evidence to support Canada’s claims, and direct the U.S. Department of Commerce to revisit key elements of its decision. Alongside the Government of Canada, we remain steadfastly committed to the view that all U.S. softwood lumber duties are unfounded,” he says. “Time and again, neutral third-party reviews of the softwood lumber dispute have confirmed these duties are unjustified. While we continue to provide markets around the world with the highest-quality timber, U.S. duties are hurting people on both sides of our shared border, increasing material costs for Americans, and creating uncertainty for forestry professionals and communities here at home.”
Ralston says Premier David Eby was recently in Ottawa and raised the issue directly with the American ambassador, pushing for a negotiated resolution that benefits everyone.
Canada and the US have sparred for decades over lumber exports, with Americans claiming the Canadian industry is unfairly subsidized by government, while Canadians claiming duties are unfair.
