US President Trump triggered a continental trade war with tariffs—as Canada, Mexico and China respond-in-kind. Not surprisingly, Trump’s announcement is leading to higher consumer prices, falling stock prices and higher lumber futures. In related news: the US also plans to triple anti-dumping duties on Canadian lumber; BC Premier Eby says the double whammy will devastate forestry; the BC Lumber Trade Council calls the move unjustified; and the US Lumber Coalition says they can fill the lumber gap.
In other news: Trump’s call for more logging gets Forest Resources Council support—despite claim that it is ‘legally murky‘; BC’s forest critic calls for a tax on US thermal coal; Amix Group buys Western’s Port Alberni sawmill; Stimson Lumber is planning a mill expansion; a sawdust explosion hits Mark Richey Woodworking; and Domtar’s Bill Edwards receives an Excellence in Leadership Award.
Finally, Canada’s pulp & paper sector is less exposed, but US investigation may target paper et al.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News
Vancouver — The BC Lumber Trade Council (BCLTC) strongly opposes the U.S. Department of Commerce’s preliminary decision to increase anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 20.07%. This unjustified move will negatively impact forestry workers and communities in British Columbia, while further burdening homebuilders, consumers, and the broader construction sector in the United States. “It is deeply disappointing that the U.S. continues to impose these protectionist trade measures” said Kurt Niquidet, President of the BC Lumber Trade Council. “The fact remains that the United States relies on Canadian softwood lumber imports and these duties will harm not only the B.C. forestry industry, but also U.S. consumers, who will bear some of the cost”. Ongoing rebuilding efforts in North Carolina and California, where affordable and reliable lumber is critical to recovery, will be more expensive as a result of this decision.
A new wildfire risk reduction project in Bella Coola is set to benefit the community by improving forest safety and supporting local jobs. North Coast-Haida Gwaii MLA Tamara Davidson says the initiative will help reduce wildfire threats while increasing the fibre supply for the forestry industry, which continues to face challenges from U.S. tariffs on softwood lumber. The Bella Coola Community Forest is a cherished part of the region for both locals and visitors, said Davidson. Projects like this not only help protect against wildfires but also provide valuable community education and create good-paying jobs—critical as we deal with climate change and rising wildfire risks. The Bella Coola Community Forest organization is receiving nearly $149,000 to complete wildfire mitigation work in an area south of Hagensborg and the Bella Coola airport.
President Donald Trump’s plans to use the “God Squad” and emergency provisions of the Endangered Species Act to promote widespread logging on public lands are likely illegal and little more than rhetoric without the force of law, legal experts say. …The timber order’s directives say they must comply with existing law and do not create any enforceable law, making them little more than “a lot of hot air,” said John Leshy, a former Interior solicitor in the Clinton administration in San Francisco. “It’s core could be summed up as ‘study, consider, recommend,’” Leshy said. The caveats that end the order “deprive even those exhortations of any enforceability or effect.” Murray Feldman, a partner at Holland & Hart LLP in Boise, Idaho, said the executive order is an “aspirational statement.” The order doesn’t satisfy the qualifications for an emergency under ESA regulations, the use of which is generally limited to human health risks, he said.
…”We’re focused on … looking at clean fuel for the power plant, and attracting industries that use clean fuel to produce a value-added product,” said Denis Caron, the president and CEO of the Port of Belledune in New Brunswick. …The Conservation Council of New Brunswick is “first and foremost … happy” the port wants to transition away from fossil fuels to more renewable technologies, said Moe Qureshi, director of climate research and policy. But it’s “not very happy” about the biomass plan for N.B. Power’s Belledune generating station. Burning wood isn’t an efficient way to generate electricity, Qureshi said, and it would be difficult to regrow trees at the rate they are burnt up as wood pellets. …N.B. Power is looking at using black wood pellets at Belledune, Caron said. These are more energy dense and similar to coal, and may not require any refitting or capital spending at the power plant.
