OTTAWA: New US tariffs came into effect this Tuesday morning, placing severe pressure on the Canadian lumber industry. These tariffs—an additional duty on softwood lumber and new tariffs on furniture—were announced by US President Donald Trump.
The BC Lumber Trade Council stated that Canadian softwood lumber entering the US will now face a total import tax exceeding 45%, as Canadian producers are already grappling with over 35 percent in existing anti-dumping and countervailing duties.
Last month, President Trump signed the proclamation for a 10% tariff on imported softwood lumber. He also announced a 25% tariff on certain furniture items, including kitchen cabinets and vanities. The tariffs on kitchen cabinets and vanities are scheduled to increase to 50% in the New Year, while tariffs on other upholstered wood products will rise to 30% starting January 1st.
The US is moving forward with the tariff increase, alleging that Canada’s softwood lumber sector violates anti-dumping regulations. This follows the US Commerce Department’s announcement last month of plans to nearly triple the existing duty on Canadian softwood lumber to over 20%.
