Marc Carney
Canada is making progress on “small” tariff deals with the US for key sectors, Prime Minister Mark Carney said after revealing he’d had a recent phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. Carney said he spoke with Trump “at length” Monday on a wide range of issues, including trade, geopolitics and employment. He described it as a “good conversation” but also warned there is no guarantee Ottawa will secure any of the deals under discussion as the Trump administration works to squeeze the Canadian economy to obtain trade concessions. …While Carney did not specify which key sectors are the subjects of trade talks, the sectors targeted by US tariffs include steel, aluminum, forestry products and automobiles. …Carney’s cabinet met behind closed doors Wednesday at a Toronto hotel — part of its preparations for the upcoming fall sitting of Parliament and for continuing negotiations with the Americans on tariffs.
Trade disputes between the United States and Canada are nothing new. What began as two neighbouring countries seeking to expand their markets and assert economic sovereignty has evolved into a broad range of conflicts. These historical trade disputes have included accusations of unfair subsidies, protectionist tariffs, and, more recently, concerns over national security, fentanyl and border security. Softwood lumber, one of the most important items on the list of Canadian exports to the U.S., has been consistently under attack by different American administrations. …Though some might call it weakness, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent move to lift the retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods covered under CUSMA, while retaining tariffs on auto, steel and aluminum, is arguably a wise strategy. The end goal is to minimize economic damage to Canada. According to Carney, this tariff removal on about 85 per cent of Canada-U.S. trade is consistent with the commitment under CUSMA.
Lumber prices that have dropped more than 20% over the past month are prompting one of North America’s largest producers to throttle back output by 12%. Interfor said Thursday that it would reduce hours and reconfigure shifts as well as lengthen holiday breaks and maintenance shutdowns at its mills in Canada and the US to reduce output by about 145 million board feet through year-end. Lumber futures, which had fallen 18 of the past 22 trading sessions rose in response. …Interfor, which has headquarters in BC, is among the big Canadian sawyers that have shifted operations into the US as duties and diminished log availability have put sawmills out of the money back home. About 50% of Interfor’s capacity these days is in the US South. Another 12% is Washington and Oregon, where mills compete fiercely with Canadian rivals to sell the same species of wood. [to access the full story a WSJ subscription is required]
WASHINGTON – Canada’s government joined the Canadian lumber industry in seeking a trade panel review over certain softwood lumber products from Canada under the USMCA, according to a U.S. government notice posted online on Monday. The two requests were filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Association following the departments July 29 decision following its investigation into the matter, the notices posted to the Federal Register said.
BURNABY, BC — Interfor Corporation announced plans to reduce its lumber production by approximately 145 million board feet between September and December of 2025, representing approximately 12% of its normal operating stance. The temporary curtailments will be through a combination of reduced operating hours, prolonged holiday breaks, reconfigured shifting schedules and extended maintenance shut-downs. The curtailments are expected to impact all of Interfor’s operating regions, with both the Canadian and US operations expected to reduce their production levels by approximately 12% each. The curtailments are in response to persistently weak market conditions and ongoing economic uncertainty. The Company will continue to monitor market conditions across all of its operations and adjust its production plans accordingly. [END]
WASHINGTON — US President Trump is indicating that he’ll ask the Supreme Court tomorrow to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that found many of his 
CALGARY — Fewer tourists are coming to Jasper, Alberta than usual this year, but it’s not for a lack of people eager to visit the picturesque Rocky Mountain town. Numbers are about as good as they can be, considering about one-fifth of the town’s overnight accommodations burned when a ferocious wildfire swept through last summer, said Tourism Jasper CEO Tyler Riopel. …As the Jasper recovery continues, tourism operators affected by wildfires elsewhere this year are struggling. Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba have been particularly hard hit, which has taken a toll on outfitting businesses that cater to hunters and fishers. Roy Anderson, acting CEO of the Saskatchewan Commission of Professional Outfitters, said his group is surveying members to quantify the financial impact. “We’re talking millions of dollars in terms of lost revenue at a minimum,” he said.
To better compete with Canada’s transcontinental railroads, efficiencies within the trucking industry, and to capitalize on a more relaxed regulatory environment, the railroad industry is entering into a consolidation phase with the major operators all reportedly in play. On the heels of the 2023 merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern which connected Canada, the US and Mexico with the first single-line railway, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are pursuing a merger that would create the first coast-to-coast railway system in the US. The tie-up between Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific raised the possibility of further consolidation in the industry with investors eyeing a merger between CSX and BNSF, or with CPKC. While mergers might satisfy shareholders and activist investors, industry insiders see the trend creating more inefficiencies. …Freight Rail Customer Alliance is opposed to further consolidation given that past mergers have resulted in higher transportation costs and unreliable service for customers.
Western is proud to launch a refreshed brand that better reflects who we are, where we’re going and what our customers, communities, and partners expect from us. Our refreshed brand is rooted in our belief that wood plays a vital role in building a more sustainable future. Wood has always been part of everyday life – in the homes we live in, the furniture we use and the warmth and comfort we seek in natural materials. At Western, we are proud to carry that legacy forward by helping meet today’s demand for beautiful, low-carbon building materials. This brand refresh is grounded in our long-term strategy and shaped by the people who make Western what it is. It reflects our continued commitment to quality, sustainability and stewardship. Explore the rest of our site to see how our refreshed brand reflects the care we put into everything we do, from forest to finished product.
The monitor overseeing the credit-protection process for San Group, a Langley-based forestry company with debts in excess of $150 million, has applied to the courts for an extension of the process in order to complete the sale of the company’s assets. Deloitte Restructuring has asked the courts to extend the process to Oct. 31. It currently expires Sept. 5. …According to the monitor’s ninth report to the courts, filed this week, the sale of three San Group properties has now closed, and only a Langley farm remains of the major assets. The sale of the Coulson Mill in Port Alberni closed June 20 with proceeds of $12.06 million, the Langley mill site closed July 15, netting $12.37 million, and the Port Alberni value-added facility sale closed July 29, netting $8.25 million. On top of that, Tradewest Asset Solutions has now completed the sale of all of San Group’s remaining inventory, which resulted in $1.178 million being added to the pile.
West Fraser Timber is continuing to succeed in this ever-changing world, despite a lower second quarter. …Sales were up slightly from Q1 — $1.532 billion, compared to $1.459 billion. However, earnings were nearly cut in half — $24 million compared to $42 million in the first quarter. “Demand for many of our building products slowed in the second quarter as spring building activity fell short of our expectations,” said Sean McLaren, West Fraser’s President and CEO. “This was more acute in our North America Engineered Wood Products segment, which experienced further easing of demand as the quarter progressed [with] softer U.S. new home construction.” …West Timber’s director of communications, Joyce Wagenaar, told Black Press Media that this year has been a challenge economically. “2025 has brought a number of changes, most notably sluggish demand for building products in Canada and the U.S. due to challenging economic conditions, leading to a slowdown in new home construction,” said Wagenaar.
A fire at a lumber yard inside Quesnel city limits is being managed by West Fraser Mills and was expected to be completely extinguished on Monday, Aug. 25, the city’s fire chief said. The 500-square-foot fire at BC Eco Chips on Pinecrest Road was first spotted around 4 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, leading to a response from six fire departments in the Cariboo Regional District, BC Wildfire Service and personnel from West Fraser Mills. Reached by phone on Aug. 25, Quesnel Fire Chief Ron Richert said that the fire departments and wildfire service withdrew from the scene around 8 p.m., leaving West Fraser Mills in charge of managing the scene. At that point, the chief said, there were still “significant flames” but it was fully contained. …Richert confirmed that there were no structured damaged or people hurt by the fire. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
MANIWAKI, Quebec — The Domtar sawmill in Maniwaki, Quebec, will temporarily close again next month. The company, which acquired the mill when it bought Resolute Forest Products in 2023, confirmed Wednesday to Radio-Canada that the indefinite closure will begin Oct. 10. It cited difficult market conditions and US softwood lumber duties, which rose to more than 35 per cent last month. About 120 workers at the mill lost their jobs in a previous closure that started in December 2024. The mill reopened for about 50 hours a week at the start of June. About 3,800 people lived in the western Quebec community as of the 2021 census. [END]
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration may declare a national housing emergency this fall as the White House looks to highlight key issues for midterm campaign voters. …Bessent said housing affordability would be a critical leg of Republicans’ 2026 midterm election platform. Bessent declined to list any specific actions the president may take, but he suggested that administration officials are directly studying ways to standardize local building and zoning codes and decrease closing costs. President Trump has repeatedly used emergency declarations to avoid having to send legislation to Congress for approval. Some of those, particularly the emergency law he cited to institute his tariff regime, have faced pushback in federal court. …Trump also spoke out on the issue during the campaign and said he wants to open up federal land for housing development and pledged to help with affordability by eliminating regulations.
WASHINGTON – US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the USDA has taken the next step in the rulemaking process for rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule by opening a public comment period. …The USDA Forest Service is publishing a notice seeking public comment on its intention to develop an environmental impact statement for the proposed rescission of the rule. The notice details the reasons for rescinding the rule, the potential effects on people and resources, and how national forests and grasslands are managed. The USDA will publish the notice August 29, 2025. …While the rescission would apply to roadless areas in Alaska, state-specific rules for Colorado and Idaho would not be affected by the proposal. In total, the 2025 rescission would apply to nearly 45 million acres of the nearly 60 million acres of inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System. …The public is invited to comment no later than Sept. 19, 2025. 
The timber industry, a cornerstone of South Carolina’s economy, is grappling the closure of several key mills. The recent shutdowns of mills in Darlington and Estill have sent ripples through the local supply chain, affecting forest management and the livelihoods of many in the industry. …The timber industry in South Carolina is struggling with significant challenges after major mill closures, including the International Paper Mill in Georgetown, the WestRock Plant in Charleston, the International Paper in Savannah and the Containerboard Mill in Riceboro. Michael Campbell, president and CEO of the South Carolina Timber Producers Association, highlighted the broader economic impact. “It’s a widespread county thing because the loggers tend to haul up to 100 miles away from the mill, so within 100 miles of that mill everything’s impacted,” he said. Despite some new mill announcements, Campbell said they are insufficient to compensate for the lost wood volume.
DARLINGTON COUNTY, South Carolina — Monday marked the last day of operation at the Canfor sawmill in Darlington. The mill announced its closure 
Wood production, processing, and export is one of Vietnam’s key industries, but it is currently facing a direct impact from trade competition and tariff barriers. …In early August 2025, the US imposed reciprocal duties of 20% on Vietnamese imports, and the figure could rise to 40% if illegal transshipment is detected. …“These moves are creating prolonged uncertainty for the wood processing industry,” Phuong says. “Although Vietnam’s wood exports grew by 8% in the first seven months of 2025, the risks remain high. The ability to control domestic raw material supply will be a decisive factor in maintaining Vietnam’s status as a sustainable source in the global market.” …Nguyen Chanh Phuong emphasises that despite the shifting policies, the US is the top market and is more stable than others. To mitigate risks, he stresses the need to expand into new export markets, diversify raw material sources, and produce more value-added products.
The final reel of paper from No.6, Tokoroa’s last remaining paper mill, once one of six, is being rolled under the smoke and steam of the mill’s chimneys. In November last year Kinleith’s owner, Oji Fibre Solutions, announced it would shutter the paper mill of its plant and move to importing paper to produce its packaging. Kinleith is losing at least 150 jobs, to say nothing of the contractors, maintenance and supplier businesses downstream. The announcement followed a string of paper mill closures across the country costing 300 jobs, which Oji and other operators attributed to untenable wholesale power costs and year on year losses. For Ian Farrell, who has worked at Kinleith since 1986 the writing was on the wall, though he struggled to accept it. “I thought the government surely wouldn’t let this happen,” he says on the Monday morning the paper mill closed. “We were the last paper manufacturing and packaging site left in the country.”