Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario’s minister of natural resources and forestry, and the minister of economic development, job creation and trade are urging the U.S. government to remove tariffs from Canadian softwood lumber projects.
“To deliver on our plan to build Ontario, our government is standing up for families, businesses, and communities by speaking out against unfair practices targeting our forest sector,” and Monte McNaughton said in a joint statement.
Recognizing the U.S. Department of Commerce’s recent decision to lower duty rates on softwood lumber exports – however, the Ontario government that’s not enough and all duty rates should be removed immediately.
Ontario’s forest sector generated $18 billion in revenue from the sale of manufactured goods and services in 2020 and supported more than 148,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2021.
“At a time when we are taking action to provide cost-of-living relief, softwood lumber duties punish consumers and businesses on both sides of the border – and impose added hardship on the workers, families and communities that depend on Ontario’s forest sector,” the ministers said in their statement.
“As this trade dispute continues, we will continue to seek fair treatment of our forest sector and fair outcomes for the public and industry alike.”
