Bhavjit Thandi

With Canada and the U.S. now entrenched in a full-on trade war, companies in B.C.’s forestry sector are looking for governments to add measures to support the industry beyond the initial round of counter tariffs. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet rolled out its response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Section 338 tariffs … as well as $7.5 billion in financial supports. “Yes, those will help us, because they will protect our market, so it’s not a one-way street,” Bhavjit Thandi, the chief financial officer at Richmond Plywood. “It’ll be at least what they did to us.” The company’s corner of the forest-products industry hopes that, beyond counter tariffs, Ottawa and Victoria will add steps to “Buy Canadian” policies that will help build the market for their product.  The industry wants governments to focus on other measures and to streamline regulations that reduce costs and improve access to timber. [A Vancouver Sun subscription is required for full access]