Leaders from British Columbia and Ottawa convened in Vancouver on Monday for a forestry summit, reaching an agreement to establish a collaborative working group aimed at bolstering the industry in light of escalating U.S. fees and tariffs. Last September, the United States imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Canadian firms, with rates ranging from 26% to over 47%. An additional 10% tariff was levied last month, citing the Canadian industry as a national security concern for the U.S.
The imposed fees have dealt a significant blow to British Columbia’s already struggling forestry sector, which sustains tens of thousands of jobs in the region. While the federal government announced $1.2 billion in support for the softwood lumber industry in August, Premier David Eby has advocated for further assistance.
Following the forestry summit, Premier Eby expressed satisfaction with the federal government’s commitment to establishing a joint working group with the province, describing it as “encouraging.” Kim Haakstad, President of the B.C. Council of Forest Industries, commended the collaborative effort between the governments to maintain employment amidst challenging market conditions. Haakstad emphasized the importance of involving industry stakeholders in the working group to focus on preserving mill operations, prioritizing a new softwood lumber agreement, and expediting the distribution of the $1.2 billion federal funding.