May 27, 2020

NAFTA Backs U.S. Softwood Lumber Decision, B.C. Hopes for Final Win

A NAFTA panel has backed the U.S. International Trade Commission’s decision regarding softwood lumber imports from Canada, but British Columbia’s industry group still hopes for an ultimate victory.

The U.S. Lumber Coalition says the decision affirms the USITC determination from December 2017 that the imports “materially injured” American producers and workers.

It says in a news release that the harm is caused by the Canadian government providing its lumber industry “massive subsidies” and dumping those products into the U.S. market.

The BC Lumber Trade Council says it is disappointed by Friday’s decision, saying it remains convinced that the determination that the U.S. industry is injured by Canadian lumber imports is “flawed and without merit.”

Despite the decision, it said Canada still has pending World Trade Organization and NAFTA challenges to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s underlying countervailing duty and anti-dumping duty determinations that have yet to be resolved.

Council president Susan Yurkovich says the group representing provincial producers is confident those proceedings will again support Canada’s position and rule the duties are unwarranted.