Office of the Premier
VICTORIA - Premier John Horgan issued the following statement in response to the U.S.
International Trade Commission’s finding on Dec. 7 of “material injury” on Canadian softwood lumber
exports to the United States.
READ MORE: “B.C. won’t back down on softwood lumber.” Opinion piece by Premier John Horgan, Dec. 1, 2017
The ruling means that all duties applied by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Canadian
softwood lumber products since its preliminary countervailing duty determination on April 28,
2017 continue to apply. However, the U.S. International Trade Commission did not find critical
circumstances in the anti-dumping case, therefore retroactive anti-dumping duties do not
apply.
“Today’s ruling, though not unexpected, means that B.C. and Canadian forest companies must
continue to pay unfair and unwarranted duties, to make U.S. lumber companies and land
owners even richer at the expense of Canadian exporters and American consumers and
builders.
“We’re working closely with the federal government, other provinces and B.C. companies to
seek a fair hearing of the issues through all the channels that are available to us. Canada has
already filed appeals to the World Trade Organization, and notices to appeal under NAFTA. We
believe an independent tribunal will find that the current U.S. allegations against Canada are as
unfounded as the ones they brought in the past.
“We will continue to defend B.C.’s interests in the softwood lumber dispute and the 60,000
people who rely on B.C.’s forest sector for their jobs and livelihoods.
“We will continue to pursue growth in markets for B.C. wood products both at home and
abroad by promoting innovation and expanding trade relationships with Asian markets.”
Quick Facts:
* About half of Canada’s softwood lumber exports to the U.S. originate from British
Columbia and the U.S. is British Columbia’s largest market for softwood lumber products.
* B.C.’s forest sector is an integral part of a sustainable economy. In 2016, the B.C. forest
sector supported 60,000 direct jobs and one in four manufacturing jobs. The B.C.
government is committed to working with communities and industry to create more B.C.
jobs from every tree harvested in B.C.
Learn More:
Softwood lumber trade: www.gov.bc.ca/softwoodlumber