BC asks PM Carney to keep softwood on radar as tariff deadline looms
By Wolfgang Depner
The Canadian Press in Global News
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
David Eby
BC Premier David Eby says the federal government cannot forget about the fate of British Columbia’s softwood lumber industry as the deadline for a trade deal between the United States and Canada is hours away. Aug. 1 is the deadline the United States has set for a trade deal with Canada, and Eby says he hopes his province’s softwood lumber industry remains on the “radar” of Prime Minister Mark Carney as Ottawa continues negotiations. told an unrelated news conference that the industry has been the “canary in the coal mine” signalling American protectionism, saying Canadian softwood exports have been subject to “unfair duties” for the “better part of almost two generations,” well before the current trade dispute triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump. But Eby says the dispute’s long-standing nature does not mean the industry “should be ignored,” and resolving it could actually help broker a larger deal.
Canada-US trade negotiations ‘may not conclude’ by Aug. 1, Carney says
By Holly Cabrera
CBC News
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed earlier on Wednesday that trade negotiations have not been finalized just two days ahead of the deadline. “It is possible that [negotiations] may not conclude by the first of August,” Carney said at a news conference on Wednesday. Trump set an Aug. 1 deadline for Canada to reach a trade deal and has threatened to impose a 35 per cent tariff on goods that don’t comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). …”The president has been very clear … that there are certain sectors that are strategic, in their judgment, to the United States’ economy: aluminum steel, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber,” Carney said. The prime minister previously hinted that the Canadian government is in no rush to finalize a deal by Friday, saying last week that his objective is “not to reach a deal whatever it costs.”
Free trade carveouts key in potential deal between US and Canada
By Sammy Hudes
The Canadian Press in CP24 News
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
Business leaders and academics say they hope to see Canada and the US maintain free trade protections for most goods once an agreement is reached, even if the negotiations can’t stave off certain sectoral tariffs. It’s unclear if the two countries will stick to the Aug. 1 deadline for wrapping up talks. Prime Minister Mark Carney said negotiations were in an “intense phase,” but US President Donald Trump told reporters last week that Canada wasn’t a priority. Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Dan Kelly said his organization’s members feel “a good chunk” of trade must remain tariff-free in order for talks to be considered successful. …Kelly said he would not consider it a win for Canada if its trade agreement ends up looking similar to the EU deal. He said the goal should be to keep zero tariffs on products that are currently protected under the CUSMA.
US Lumber Coalition Comments on Canadian Reaction to US Trade Law Enforcement
The US Lumber Coalition
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
WASHINGTON, DC — A number of organizations and individuals in Canada who have a long history of strongly advocating for Canadian industry have made statements about the increased dumping rate. These statements continue to ignore the fact that the dumping rate went up because Canada intensified its unfair trading behavior – simple as that. These Canadian statements demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of the US trade laws, while continuing to regurgitate misinformation along with Canada First allies in the US such as the National Association of Homebuilders. …Canada ignores the fact that it engages in unfair trade and that antidumping and countervailing duty deposit rates are simply a reflection of Canadian unfair trade behavior. …Canadian officials, such as BC Forest Minister Ravi Parmar, have a fundamental misunderstanding of the US trade laws, and instead focus on political rhetoric and advancing misinformation. Messrs. Russ Taylor and David Elstone published an opinion piece highlighting their inability to consider all facts as they strongly advocate for the interests of the BC lumber industry.
Canadian government needs to stand up for lumber workers, says United Steelworkers union
United Steelworkers
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
BURNABY, BC – The United Steelworkers union (USW) District 3 and the USW Wood Council are calling on the federal government to take urgent action in response to the latest escalation in the softwood lumber trade dispute. …“This latest increase, along with other threatened tariffs, is yet another blow to workers, communities and the long-term sustainability of our industry,” said Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director. “We represent thousands of loggers and mill workers… and their families, are at risk – governments need to act now.” …“It’s a constant attack on our industry and our workforce from the US administration. ….In addition to calling for a deal on softwood lumber to be a priority for Canada in trade talks with the US. …“These duties are unfair and will only drive up housing costs for U.S. consumers, while putting thousands of Canadian jobs at risk,” said Jeff Bromley, USW Wood Council Chair.
A Canadian Conservative Icon Advises Carney to Pull Back From US
By Brian Platt
Bloomberg Politics
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper calls himself the most pro-American prime minister in Canadian history. But the advice he gave recently to Mark Carney’s government was to take a different path — and reduce the country’s close integration with the US. …The relationship between the two longstanding allies simply can’t be the same after months of threats from Trump, Harper told an audience in the western city of Saskatoon. …He said he believes free trade will live on even as the US runs away from it under Trump. “The idea of using tariff barriers to raise revenue and comprehensively relocate industries, this is a failed economic policy where it has been tried,” he said. …Harper says Canada needs to quickly diversify its export markets for energy, critical minerals, and other strategic goods in response to President Donald Trump’s hostile trade actions. [to access the full story a Bloomberg subscription is required]
BC’s independent wood manufacturers decry retroactive US softwood duties
By Chuck Chiang
The Canadian Press in CTV News
July 26, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
BC’s independent wood product makers say hundreds of small- and medium-sized manufacturers may be forced to shut down in light of the latest decision from the US to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood… [which] includes a requirement for Canadian companies to retroactively remit duties for products shipped to the US since Jan.1, 2023. Association chair Andy Rielly says that requirement could not only force small BC producers to shut down, but may also threaten operators’ personal assets as they may have to risk using their homes as collateral to secure bonds to pay. …Association executive director Brian Menzies describes independent wood product producers as “collateral damage” in the trade war.” …“We acquire logs and lumber at ‘arm’s length’ from various suppliers on the open market, just like claims made by members of the US Lumber Coalition, and yet our Canadian companies along with U.S. consumers must pay these unfair and costly duties.”
US Department of Commerce Announces Final Results of Softwood Lumber Antidumping Duty Administrative review
US Department of Commerce
July 25, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States
WASHINGTON, DC — The US Department of Commerce announced its final decision in the sixth administrative review of the antidumping duty order on softwood lumber from Canada. …This review covers imports of softwood lumber from Canada that entered into the United States during the period of January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The Department of Commerce determined that softwood lumber from Canada was being dumped into the United States at rates ranging from 9.65% to 35.53%. These final rates are, on average, larger than the final antidumping rates determined in the previous administrative review but in line with Commerce’s preliminary results from March 2025. Notably, the final rate for non-selected companies, which applies to most Canadian companies, increased to 20.56%, up from 7.66% determined in the previous administrative review. …Commerce is scheduled to announce the final decision in the administrative review of the countervailing duty order, covering calendar year 2023, on August 8, 2025.
Responses captured on July 25, per Tree Frog’s BREAKING NEWS:
Council of Forest Industries (COFI): COFI strongly condemns today’s decision by the US Department of Commerce to once again increase anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber.
US Lumber Coalition: The US Lumber Coalition applauds Trump Administration’s strong enforcement of the US trade Laws against egregious levels of unfair trade by Canada in softwood lumber.
BC Lumber Trade Council (BCLTC): The BCLTC is deeply disappointed by today’s final determination by the US Department of Commerce to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 20.56%.
Unifor letter to Prime Minister Carney Re: Supporting Canada’s Forestry Sector and Communities
By Lana Payne,National President
Unifor
July 25, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada
Re: Supporting Canada’s Forestry Sector and Communities: I am writing to request urgent action to support Canada’s forestry sector, forestry workers, and the hundreds of forestry-dependent rural communities across Canada. Our members know first-hand that Canada’s forestry sector continues to experience a perfect storm of repeated and intersecting crises, and a combination of economic, environmental, and global challenges continues to destabilize the broader sector. …Given this range of diverse crises – and since there are both common, national-level challenges as well as regionally-specific ones – Unifor has been calling for a much more coordinated, strategic response developed by, and with the active participation of, all levels of government, forestry workers and their union, Indigenous communities, forestry employers and industry groups, forestry training and education institutions, and local communities. Letter includes:
An Expanded National Homebuilding Strategy
A Broader National Forestry Strategy
Regional and Provincial Flexibility
A Comprehensive and Coordinated Plan for the Future
Canadian government needs to stand up for lumber workers, says United Steelworkers union
United Steel Workers
July 31, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
BURNABY, B.C. – The United Steelworkers union (USW) District 3 and the USW Wood Council are calling on the federal government to take urgent action in response to the latest escalation in the softwood lumber trade dispute. Following the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to increase anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports to 20.56%, the USW is demanding immediate support for forestry workers and communities across the country. …“Our prime minister says softwood lumber is a priority in trade talks, but what forest workers need now is action,” said Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director. …In addition the USW is calling for a comprehensive support package for forest workers, including wage subsidies, loan guarantees for affected businesses and other targeted resources to support provinces, regional and local communities to sustain critical infrastructure and services through this unprecedented uncertainty.
Responding to Motor Fuel Tax assessments in the B.C. forestry sector
MNP
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
In British Columbia’s forestry sector, logging and trucking businesses are beginning to take a closer look at how they manage and report fuel use. While the Motor Fuel tax rules themselves haven’t changed, recent enforcement has prompted many operators to reassess long-standing practices — particularly when it comes to using coloured fuel in mixed on- and off-highway operations. For businesses that rely on marked fuel in remote areas or cross between forest roads and public highways, assessments are surfacing more frequently and creating uncertainty around compliance. If you’ve received a notice — or aren’t sure whether your operations could be affected — there are steps you can take to reduce the impact and protect your business. …Increased enforcement of the B.C. Motor Fuel Tax rules has created a layer of complexity that many forestry businesses weren’t prepared for. …the consequences of misunderstanding the rules, especially around fuel eligibility, have become more serious.
Campbell River mayor calls on province to speed-up forestry approvals
By Sage Daniels
My Campbell River Now
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dahl sent an open letter to Premier David Eby, calling for immediate action to address issues within B.C.’s coastal forestry sector. Dahl warns continued inaction could result in further mill closures, job losses and the collapse of the coastal forestry industry. According to Dahl, coastal harvest volumes have dropped by over 40 per cent since 2019, with more than 5,400 direct forestry jobs lost since 2022. The 2025–26 budget projects a harvest of 32 million cubic metres … an estimated $275 million in lost revenue. The mayor says Premier Eby pledged to “protect jobs and the economy” when reshuffling his cabinet and says “those words ring hollow for thousands of coastal forestry workers watching their industry collapse—… from policy paralysis and regulatory misfires.” Dahl argues the crisis is not caused by … internal delay. “When harvest approvals that once took six months now take two years or more, that’s not a tariff issue—it’s a made-in-B.C. problem,” Dahl says.
BPWood expands supplier network for thermally modified wood product
By Larry Adams
Woodworking Network
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West, International
PENTICTON, BC — BPWood is expanding its distribution network to accelerate the prompt availability of LDCwood ThermoWood across the U.S. and Canada. The new partnerships, all with established regions, will bring ThermoWood to more markets and customers. LDCwood, based in Belgium, produces ThermoWood. Each of these carefully aligned BPWood distributors brings deep regional reach and market knowledge to the growing ThermoWood movement: American Lumber, Edmund Allen, Excelsior Wood, Hewn Elements, Issaquah Lumber, Noltco, OrePac and Westwood Lumber Sales. …“We’re known as the nimble innovators and we’re ‘woody’ by nature, so we are thrilled to welcome these respected partners to our growing North American distribution family map,” said Paul Bouchard, founder and CEO of BPWood. “Each brings deep ‘woodiness,’ regional strength and customer relationships that will help us meet growing demand for ThermoWood products.”
NDP government gives brush off to forestry industry’s pragmatic, made-in-B.C. solutions
By Vaughn Palmer
Vancouver Sun
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
VICTORIA — The Council of Forest Industries wrote a letter to the New Democrats earlier this month, outlining more than a dozen proposals to rescue a struggling industry. “B.C.’s forest industry is in crisis,” wrote COFI President Kim Haakstad in the July 14 letter to Forests Minister Ravi Parmar. “Fibre availability is at historic lows, permitting systems are gridlocked, and investment is retreating in the face of prolonged uncertainty. The risk is not gradual decline — but accelerated facility closures, job losses, and the permanent erosion of forest industry capacity.” Haakstad was responding to Premier David Eby’s announcement of a “major project” to restore the industry in a speech to this year’s COFI’s convention. …I asked the government last week for a response to the proposals set out in the COFI letter. I got back a general statement from Parmar, which pretty much brushed aside the notion of a crisis in the industry.
B.C. faces cascading risks from new U.S. duties on softwood, says report
By Daisy Xiong
Business in Vancouver
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
A new report warns the impacts on B.C. of higher duties on Canadian softwood lumber recently imposed by the U.S. will extend beyond the province’s forestry sector. The U.S. Department of Commerce had issued a preliminary anti-dumping rate in March of 20.07 per cent, up from 7.66 per cent set three years before, which is in addition to the countervailing duties of 6.74 per cent. But this past Friday, the American department raised anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56 per cent. …The report notes that forestry companies have built and maintained an estimated 620,000 to 700,000 kilometres of remote roads across B.C. Gessaroli said it’s important for governments, industry and Indigenous groups to collaborate on identifying critical roads and securing sustainable funding for their maintenance. A shrinking forestry sector could also cause disruptions to residue supply chains, including wood chips, sawdust, biomass and chemical byproducts.
B.C.’s small sawmills brace for bigger hit from U.S. lumber duties
By Derrick Penner
Vancouver Sun
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
Jake Power
It was a scramble for Jake Power’s specialty sawmill to ramp up shipments across the U.S. border before the big hit from a more than doubling of softwood lumber duties took hold as of midnight Monday. “You can only do so much of that,” said Power, CEO of his family’s firm, Power Wood. “The customers are only willing to stock up so much. I would say our June and July were maybe 10, 20 per cent more than we would have expected without this.” …the U.S. confirmed it would implement [an] increase in punitive duties on Canadian lumber producers, pushing anti-dumping duties to an average 20 per cent. …[But] independent mills don’t hold rights to harvest the timber that the U.S. argue is being subsidized by the province’s stumpage system. So they wind up paying duties on the price of their finished products, not just the lumber that went into them, which Power said has added up.
BC’s Coastal Forestry Crisis Demands Immediate Action Communities Like Campbell River Can’t Wait
By the Office of the Mayor
City of Campbell River
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
Dear Premier Eby, When you reshuffled your cabinet on July 17, you pledged to “protect jobs and the economy” and to “grow a resilient economy.” Those words ring hollow for thousands of coastal forestry workers watching their industry collapse—not from market forces, but from policy paralysis and regulatory misfires. Since 2019, harvest volumes on the coast have dropped by over 40%. More than 5,400 direct jobs have disappeared since 2022. Mills have closed. Communities have lost critical tax revenue. And the situation is worsening. Your government made firm commitments to an annual harvest target of 45 million cubic metres to allow the sector to survive. Of note, normal harvest levels of 55-65 million cubic metres kept our resource communities vibrant and sustainable. Yet the 2025–26 budget allows for just 32 million cubic metres. That 13-million-cubic-metre shortfall represents an estimated $275 million in lost revenue— funds that could support healthcare, education, and infrastructure across BC.
Research Report: Rising US Tariffs on Forest Products and the Systemic Risks Facing British Columbia
By Jerome Gessaroli
Resource Works
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West
The prospect of sharply higher US tariffs on Canadian forestry exports poses a significant risk to British Columbia’s forest sector… While the sector’s direct share of provincial GDP has fallen over time, it remains vital to rural access and supports many interconnected industries and communities. This long-term decline, driven by tenure complexity, evolving domestic policies, and wildfires and pest disturbances, could be significantly accelerated by a substantial new tariff shock. This report is … a forward-looking scenario exercise that explores an important “what-if”. What if British Columbia’s forestry sector were to shrink significantly? The goal of this analysis is exploratory, not to predict outcomes or offer prescriptive recommendations, nor to inform any specific trade position, but to help stakeholders anticipate potential pressures and vulnerabilities. The analysis focuses on the potential indirect consequences of a forestry downsizing, not on direct impacts to employment or output, but on how other sectors and communities could be exposed to disruption…
Years of warnings ignored as US slaps B.C. forestry with punishing new duties
By Rob Shaw
Business in Vancouver
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West, United States
BC’s forestry sector would have been brought to its knees Friday by new American duties on Canadian softwood lumber, if it wasn’t already flat on its back from being hammered by years of provincial government policies. …But even before the new duties, B.C.’s forestry sector was in a crisis. Annual harvest volumes are down by tens of millions of cubic metres, lumber production and exports have shrunk dramatically, export revenues have fallen, thousands of jobs have been lost, and dozens of mills have been curtailed or shuttered. The industry has blamed various BC NDP policies, including new old-growth logging deferrals… and extraordinarily long permitting delays. …If New Democrats are serious about saving the industry from ruin, now would seem to be the time to shelve the never-ending reviews and actually do something. The government could spin a pivot to pro-forestry policies not as a retreat, but as a made-in-BC response to American trade aggression.
BC Forest Minister’s statement on US antidumping duties
By Minister of Forests, Ravi Parmar
The Government of BC
July 25, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West, United States
Ravi Parmar
“US President Trump has made it his mission to destroy Canada’s economy, and the forestry sector is feeling the full weight of this. The sector has faced years of uncertainty, driven by ongoing trade disputes, global market pressures, and the compounding effects of climate change. Now, we face further challenges, with rising unfair and unjust duties imposed by the US. These duties are nothing more than a tax on middle-class Americans trying to build or rebuild a home. They are hurting people on both sides of the border, with the forestry sector being unfairly targeted. Let me be clear: we will not stand by while Donald Trump tries to rip paycheques out of the hands of hard-working people in B.C. …I have appointed former deputy minister to the premier, Don Wright, as a strategic advisor, to ensure BC’s interests are well represented, and to help us align with federal and cross-provincial efforts.”
Doug “The Duke” Dyson — February 15, 1951 – July 22, 2025
Campbell River Mirror
July 22, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West
The Duke
It is with heavy hearts that our family announces the passing of Doug Dyson “The Duke”. Doug left this world the way he lived—laughing, loving, and full of life. Doug is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years and the rock of our family, Marilyn Dyson “Gus”. …Doug is also survived by his best friend, brother, fishing buddy, golfing partner, and business partner of 74 years, Ken Dyson, and his sister Jean Simpson. …Doug was one of the fortunate few who lived his passion every day. Logging wasn’t just a job—it was who he was. The Duke was a proud, generous, larger-than-life LOGGER. …When Doug wasn’t logging, you could hear his laughter echoing across the water while fishing, on the golf course, around a card table playing cribbage or poker with the many friends who meant so much to him. …In lieu of flowers, please cut down a tree in honor of the legend, our friend, and our hero—The Duke.
Province grappling with hike in softwood lumber duties, more tariffs expected soon
By Penny Robinson
Northwest Ontario Newswatch
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Kevin Holland
THUNDER BAY — As Ontario’s associate minister of forestry and forest products, Kevin Holland said he has deep concerns over the recent U.S. decision to increase anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber to to 20.56. The minister warned that further tariff hikes could be imminent, with significant repercussions beyond Canada’s borders. “Right now it’s at 27% combined duty rate,” Holland explained. “We’re anticipating another announcement next week on the countervailing duties, which could raise it to as high as 35%.” “That’s going to impact on the affordability of homes, not just in Canada but in the United States,” he cautioned. “This is at the centre of my desk right now. It has been since I’ve landed in the file almost a year ago now,” Holland said. “This has been the focus of our ministry, to really address this.” …Importantly, said Holland, the World Trade Organization has ruled these tariffs illegal multiple times.
Forestry jobs at risk as U.S. imposes new tariffs, says MPP Guy Bourgouin
Timmins Today
July 31, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin is calling on the province to take immediate action to protect Ontario’s forestry sector in the wake of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian lumber. Bourgouin said the impact of the tariffs imposed by U.S. president Donald Trump could be devastating for northern communities that depend on the industry. “The anti-dumping tariffs imposed by Trump will devastate our lumber industry. Condemning Trump’s actions isn’t enough. We saw it with the auto sector, with steel, and now with lumber — the Premier’s ‘wait and see’ approach is leaving thousands of workers vulnerable to layoffs.” Bourgouin criticized the Ford government for failing to present a concrete strategy, calling their approach “an afterthought” for northern Ontario’s economy. …Ontario NDP party argues that using Ontario-produced wood could tackle multiple challenges at once, safeguarding forestry jobs, boosting local economies, and addressing the province’s housing shortage with “made-in-Ontario” solutions.
Cascades invests over $5.3 million in its Granby, Quebec plant
Cascades Inc.
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
KINGSEY FALLS, Quebec — Cascades announced recent investments of over $5.3 million at its Granby, Quebec tissue plant to increase the capacity of two strategic production lines and enhance product quality. A new packer and higher-performance case packer have been added to the machine that produces bathroom tissue for the Cascades PRO Away-from-Home product line. These additions will increase production by 20% by the end of 2025. Moreover, additional improvement investments have been made in another machine producing retail bathroom tissue. …These changes will also increase production by 20% by the end of 2025. …Acquired in 2011, the Granby tissue plant currently serves the residential, commercial and business markets for hygiene solutions and tissue paper. The Granby plant currently has over 200 employees.
Thunder Bay chamber, NOMA ‘condemn’ U.S. decision to increase softwood lumber duties
By
CBC News
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada East
Two northwestern Ontario organizations are calling on the federal and provincial governments to prioritize finding a solution to the softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the United States. The United States Department of Commerce announced on Friday it was increasing anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 20.56 per cent. In a media release issued this week, the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) said they condemn the decision. “This is certainly significantly concerning, because it is such a massive increase,” said Charla Robinson, chamber president. “It’s more than 2 1/2 times the duties that were being paid previously.” “That’s a huge added cost for every board that goes across the border,” she said. “And then there’s also the potential that there could be some retroactive payments required as well.”
Increase in softwood lumber tariffs unwarranted, unfair: New Brunswick government
By Derek Haggett
CTV News
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Members of the forest industry and the provincial government weighed in Monday on the Trump administration’s decision to raise tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department decided to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56 per cent. A news release stated the province’s forest industry is “deeply troubled” by the decision to increase the duties by over 14 per cent. “Increasing anti-dumping duties to 20.56per cent from the current average rate of 7.66 per cent is unjustified,” read the statement. “New Brunswick’s softwood lumber producers already face punitive and unfair anti-dumping and countervailing duties.” According to the statement, when combined with an anticipated rise in countervailing duties, the new increase to anti-dumping duties will mean an expected new total of 34 per cent by the middle of August.
Hiked softwood lumber duties threaten viability of forestry industry, say northwest Ontario leaders
Northern Ontario Business
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
A cornerstone industry of northwestern Ontario is at risk, says a regional municipal group, with the decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 20.56 per cent. “Forestry is the economic lifeblood of communities across northwestern Ontario,” said Rick Dumas, president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), in a July 28 statement. “This unjustified and protectionist action will have a direct and harmful impact on workers, families, Indigenous communities, and local economies throughout our region.” The provincial government called the U.S. commerce department’s decision to increase duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports an “unjust burden” on American consumers that will raise construction costs in the U.S., make homes less affordable, and negatively impact economic growth on both sides of the border. “We remain firm in our position that these duties should be lifted entirely, for the benefit of workers and families on both sides of the border.”
Letter to Premier Ford supporting Ontario’s Forestry Sector and communities
Unifor
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Re: Supporting Ontario’s Forestry Sector and Communities: I am writing to respectfully request action from the Ontario government to support the province’s forestry sector, forestry workers, and the numerous forestry-dependent rural communities across Ontario. …Our members know first-hand that Ontario’s forestry sector continues to experience a perfect storm of repeated and intersecting crises, and a combination of economic, environmental, and global challenges continues to destabilize the broader sector. The ongoing softwood lumber dispute and the threat of further tariffs have intensified a trade war that are causing disastrous repercussions across the forestry sector. …Ontario’s forestry sector and forestry workers face an ongoing poly-crisis, and it is critical that governments and other stakeholders work together in coordination. Provincial level supports, policies and other responses are a critical part of this coordinated response, but a patchwork or piecemeal approach won’t work.
Ontario Condemns US Decision to Raise Softwood Lumber Tariffs
By James Murray
Net News Ledger
July 25, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East, United States
THUNDER BAY – Ontario’s government is pushing back against the US’ latest move to increase tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber, calling the decision a blow to workers, families, and the housing market on both sides of the border. US President Trump continues his tariff battles against Canada. …Although Trump does not realize it, it is American consumers who end up paying the higher prices his tariffs cause. In a joint statement, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Forestry Kevin Holland, Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris, and Minister of Economic Development Vic Fedeli criticized the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to hike duties on Canadian exports, stating: “These duties disrupt industries, drive up costs and put our shared competitiveness at risk… Continued duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports are an unjust burden which limit productivity, raise construction costs and make homes less affordable for American families.”
Kruger Not Tipping Hand on Negotiations Regarding Future of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper
VOCM News Now
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Negotiations are now underway to try to secure the long-term future of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper. Last week, parent company Kruger revealed a $700 million dollar plan to revitalize the mill and expand its operations, but said the plan required the “alignment” of government and NL Hydro among others. The company is proposing to diversify its operation in Corner Brook, including modernization of the paper mill, a new storage facility, and chip handling and receiving equipment among other things. It’s also planning to spend on the Deer Lake and Watsons Pond hydro facilities, and develop a private wind farm to support mill operation. Kruger VP Darren Pelley, says he’s not at liberty to detail what kind of a role the province could play, citing ongoing negotiations. …“But we certainly need to get to the final pieces so that the project is able to move forward.”
Nova Scotia waiting on cleanup plan from Northern Pulp for defunct mill
By Taryn Grant
CBC News
July 24, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
Northern Pulp is abandoning its plans in Nova Scotia, but the province is still counting on the company to decommission its old mill and clean up the site in Pictou County that was used for heavy industrial activity for more than half a century. Environment Minister Tim Halman says his department is waiting for the company to file a reclamation plan. …Northern Pulp had been pursuing a new mill in Liverpool, and had said it would maintain the old mill for “potential logistics operations.” But the plan for a new mill was abandoned earlier this month. In a settlement agreement, Northern Pulp agreed to pay up to $15 million to the province for the mill’s closure and any necessary cleanup. …(However), it must first pay off hundreds of millions of dollars owed to its creditors as part of an insolvency process being handled in a BC court.
American Forest & Paper Association Welcomes US-EU Trade Deal, Calls for EU’s Deforestation Regulation Exemption
The Paper Advance
July 31, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States
Heidi Brock
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has voiced support for the initial trade agreement reached between the United States and the European Union, describing it as a positive step toward fairer and more balanced trade. However, AF&PA is raising concerns that the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) remains a significant non-tariff trade barrier for U.S. producers. AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock praised the U.S. administration’s efforts in negotiating the deal, which supports the $3.5 billion worth of essential U.S. forest products shipped annually to the EU. Brock urged the administration to press for a U.S. exemption from the EUDR, arguing that the regulation does not account for the U.S.’s strong record in sustainable forest management. AF&PA notes that while the United States is not a global deforestation hotspot, American manufacturers must comply with the same costly and complex geolocation tracking as producers in higher-risk regions, placing undue burden on U.S. exporters.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to Create America’s First Transcontinental Railroad
Union Pacific
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States
Jim Vena and Mark George
Union Pacific Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation announced an agreement to create America’s first transcontinental railroad. These companies will seamlessly connect over 50,000 route miles across 43 states from the East Coast to the West Coast, linking approximately 100 ports and nearly every corner of North America. This combination will transform the U.S. supply chain, unleash the industrial strength of American manufacturing, and create new sources of economic growth and workforce opportunity that preserves union jobs. The two legendary railroads have agreed to combine in stock and cash merger, creating a combined enterprise of over $250 billion. The Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad will connect people, strengthen communities, and build a stronger, more competitive America. …The combined company will deliver faster, more comprehensive freight service to U.S. shippers by eliminating interchange delays, opening new routes, expanding intermodal services, and reducing distance and transit time on key rail corridors.
US, EU agree to framework for trade deal that puts 15% tariff on European goods
By Andrew Gray and Andrea Shalal
Thomson Reuters in CBC News
July 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, International
The United States has struck a framework trade deal with Europe, imposing a 15% US import tariff on most EU goods and averting a spiralling row between two allies who account for almost a third of global trade. The announcement came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at his golf course in western Scotland to push a hard-fought deal over the line. …The deal also includes $600 billion US of EU investments in the United States and significant EU purchases of US energy and military equipment. However, the baseline tariff of 15% could be seen by many in Europe as a poor outcome compared to the initial European ambition of a zero-for-zero tariff deal, although it is better than the threatened 30% rate. The deal mirrors parts of the framework agreement the United States clinched with Japan last week.
Members of Teamsters Union Local No. 190 in Billings officially went on strike against Boise Cascade on Tuesday, demanding fair wage increases and improved healthcare benefits after months of stalled contract negotiations. The 20 workers cited management’s refusal to offer a fair contract. The strike follows a breakdown in talks after the company failed to address workers’ concerns over stagnant pay and inadequate healthcare coverage. …Teamsters Local No. 190 has been engaged in contract negotiations with Boise Cascade for several months. Despite efforts to reach a fair agreement, the company has not made a serious offer addressing core issues, according to union officials. …Officials at Boise Cascade’s headquarters were not available for comment… However, according to the end-of-the-year report, Boise Cascade showed that sales decreased 2% and earnings per share fell 21%, driven in large part by a cooling in the US residential housing market.
‘We Have All the Trees We Need.’ Trump Wants to Revive the Lumber Industry
By Ryan Dezember
Wall Street Journal
July 27, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West
SKAMANIA COUNTY, Washington — Sawmills have been closing across the Pacific Northwest over the past 30 years. There is just one left in Skamania County, down from six during its logging heyday. Limited log supply from the region’s national forests has cut off their raw material, while cheap lumber from Canada has taken market share for their finished product. Owners of the remaining mills have high hopes that President Trump will deliver relief by increasing logging in national forests and raising trade protections against Canadian exports. Although the latter can be achieved with a stroke of the president’s pen, meaningfully boosting the federal timber harvest could take years and be impeded by litigation and red tape. …US sawyers have argued successfully in trade cases that their Canadian competitors are supplied with subsidized government logs, and that they offer two-by-fours over the border for less than they sell them at home. [to access the full story a WSJ subscription is required]
Georgia-Pacific CEO Announces Retirement, Company Announces Mark Luetters Interim CEO
Georgia-Pacific
July 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East
Mark Luetters
ATLANTA – Georgia-Pacific announced that Christian Fischer, president and CEO is retiring from the company at the end of October and will work to transition his responsibilities beginning in August. Christian joined Georgia-Pacific in 1989 and has held numerous leadership roles. He was named president and CEO in 2017. Mark Luetters, currently executive VP of Koch, with responsibility overseeing several Koch companies, including Georgia-Pacific, will continue in that role while serving as Georgia-Pacific’s president and CEO. Luetters joined Koch in 1989 and Georgia-Pacific in 2006 and, among other roles, was executive VP of Georgia-Pacific building products for nine years prior to returning to a role in another Koch company in 2018. “I want to thank Christian for his 35 years of significant contribution to Georgia-Pacific. “I look forward to… ultimately naming a new, long-term GP president and CEO at some point within calendar year 2026.”
Clemson University names Soledad Peresin as director of Wood Utilization + Design Institute
By Jonathan Veit
Clemson University
July 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: US East
M. Soledad Peresin
CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson University has appointed M. Soledad Peresin as director of the Wood Utilization + Design Institute (WU+D), a center of excellence dedicated to advancing sustainable wood-based innovations through research, education and industry collaboration. A globally recognized leader in renewable biomaterials and sustainable design, Peresin brings to Clemson more than 20 years of academic and industry experience focused on transforming lignocellulosic biomass into high-value, real-world solutions. She most recently served as a professor in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University. …Peresin earned her Ph.D. in Forest Biomaterials from North Carolina State University and Licenciate degree in Analytical Chemistry with a focus on Pulp and Paper Engineering from Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Argentina. Following her doctoral studies, she worked for six years as a Senior Scientist at VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland.
Forestry veteran Daniel DeArmond joins University of Arkansas at Monticello as assistant professor of wood production
The Magnolia Reporter
July 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East
Daniel DeArmond
The University of Arkansas at Monticello is welcoming Daniel DeArmond, a faculty member with roots as deep as the redwoods he once logged. DeArmond joins the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources as the new assistant professor of wood procurement/marketing. With more than 20 years’ experience in both industrial forestry and international forest research, DeArmond brings a global perspective and hands-on expertise to the classroom. A native of Humboldt County, California, DeArmond holds a bachelor of science in forestry from Humboldt State University, and both a master’s and doctorate in tropical forest science from the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Brazil. …Having experience with both temperate and tropical forest systems, DeArmond offers UAM students a rare global perspective on wood production and forest operations.
Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed earlier on Wednesday that trade negotiations have not been finalized just two days ahead of the deadline. “It is possible that [negotiations] may not conclude by the first of August,” Carney said at a news conference on Wednesday. Trump set an Aug. 1 deadline for Canada to reach a trade deal and has threatened to impose a 35 per cent tariff on goods that don’t comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). …”The president has been very clear … that there are certain sectors that are strategic, in their judgment, to the United States’ economy: aluminum steel, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber,” Carney said. The prime minister previously hinted that the Canadian government is in no rush to finalize a deal by Friday, saying last week that his objective is “not to reach a deal whatever it costs.”
BURNABY, BC – The United Steelworkers union (USW) District 3 and the USW Wood Council are calling on the federal government to take urgent action in response to the latest escalation in the softwood lumber trade dispute. …“This latest increase, along with other threatened tariffs, is yet another blow to workers, communities and the long-term sustainability of our industry,” said Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director. “We represent thousands of loggers and mill workers… and their families, are at risk – governments need to act now.” …“It’s a constant attack on our industry and our workforce from the US administration. ….In addition to calling for a deal on softwood lumber to be a priority for Canada in trade talks with the US. …“These duties are unfair and will only drive up housing costs for U.S. consumers, while putting thousands of Canadian jobs at risk,” said Jeff Bromley, USW Wood Council Chair.
BC’s independent wood product makers say hundreds of small- and medium-sized manufacturers may be forced to shut down in light of the latest decision from the US to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood… [which] includes a requirement for Canadian companies to retroactively remit duties for products shipped to the US since Jan.1, 2023. Association chair Andy Rielly says that requirement could not only force small BC producers to shut down, but may also threaten operators’ personal assets as they may have to risk using their homes as collateral to secure bonds to pay. …Association executive director Brian Menzies describes independent wood product producers as “collateral damage” in the trade war.” …“We acquire logs and lumber at ‘arm’s length’ from various suppliers on the open market, just like claims made by members of the US Lumber Coalition, and yet our Canadian companies along with U.S. consumers must pay these unfair and costly duties.”
BURNABY, B.C. – The United Steelworkers union (USW) District 3 and the USW Wood Council are calling on the federal government to take urgent action in response to the latest escalation in the softwood lumber trade dispute. Following the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to increase anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports to 20.56%, the USW is demanding immediate support for forestry workers and communities across the country. …“Our prime minister says softwood lumber is a priority in trade talks, but what forest workers need now is action,” said Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director. …In addition the USW is calling for a comprehensive support package for forest workers, including wage subsidies, loan guarantees for affected businesses and other targeted resources to support provinces, regional and local communities to sustain critical infrastructure and services through this unprecedented uncertainty.
In British Columbia’s forestry sector, logging and trucking businesses are beginning to take a closer look at how they manage and report fuel use. While the Motor Fuel tax rules themselves haven’t changed, recent enforcement has prompted many operators to reassess long-standing practices — particularly when it comes to using coloured fuel in mixed on- and off-highway operations. For businesses that rely on marked fuel in remote areas or cross between forest roads and public highways, assessments are surfacing more frequently and creating uncertainty around compliance. If you’ve received a notice — or aren’t sure whether your operations could be affected — there are steps you can take to reduce the impact and protect your business. …Increased enforcement of the B.C. Motor Fuel Tax rules has created a layer of complexity that many forestry businesses weren’t prepared for. …the consequences of misunderstanding the rules, especially around fuel eligibility, have become more serious.
Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dahl sent an open letter to Premier David Eby, calling for immediate action to address issues within B.C.’s coastal forestry sector. Dahl warns continued inaction could result in further mill closures, job losses and the collapse of the coastal forestry industry. According to Dahl, coastal harvest volumes have dropped by over 40 per cent since 2019, with more than 5,400 direct forestry jobs lost since 2022. The 2025–26 budget projects a harvest of 32 million cubic metres … an estimated $275 million in lost revenue. The mayor says Premier Eby pledged to “protect jobs and the economy” when reshuffling his cabinet and says “those words ring hollow for thousands of coastal forestry workers watching their industry collapse—… from policy paralysis and regulatory misfires.” Dahl argues the crisis is not caused by … internal delay. “When harvest approvals that once took six months now take two years or more, that’s not a tariff issue—it’s a made-in-B.C. problem,” Dahl says.
VICTORIA — The Council of Forest Industries wrote a letter to the New Democrats earlier this month, outlining more than a dozen proposals to rescue a struggling industry. “B.C.’s forest industry is in crisis,” wrote COFI President Kim Haakstad in the July 14 letter to Forests Minister Ravi Parmar. “Fibre availability is at historic lows, permitting systems are gridlocked, and investment is retreating in the face of prolonged uncertainty. The risk is not gradual decline — but accelerated facility closures, job losses, and the permanent erosion of forest industry capacity.” Haakstad was responding to Premier David Eby’s announcement of a “major project” to restore the industry in a speech to this year’s COFI’s convention. …I asked the government last week for a response to the proposals set out in the COFI letter. I got back a general statement from Parmar, which pretty much brushed aside the notion of a crisis in the industry.
A new report warns the impacts on B.C. 
BC’s forestry sector would have been brought to its knees Friday by new American duties on Canadian softwood lumber, if it wasn’t already flat on its back from being hammered by years of provincial government policies. …But even before the new duties, B.C.’s forestry sector was in a crisis. Annual harvest volumes are down by tens of millions of cubic metres, lumber production and exports have shrunk dramatically, export revenues have fallen, thousands of jobs have been lost, and dozens of mills have been curtailed or shuttered. The industry has blamed various BC NDP policies, including new old-growth logging deferrals… and extraordinarily long permitting delays. …If New Democrats are serious about saving the industry from ruin, now would seem to be the time to shelve the never-ending reviews and actually do something. The government could spin a pivot to pro-forestry policies not as a retreat, but as a made-in-BC response to American trade aggression.
Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin is calling on the province to take immediate action to protect Ontario’s forestry sector in the wake of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian lumber. Bourgouin said the impact of the tariffs imposed by U.S. president Donald Trump could be devastating for northern communities that depend on the industry. “The anti-dumping tariffs imposed by Trump will devastate our lumber industry. Condemning Trump’s actions isn’t enough. We saw it with the auto sector, with steel, and now with lumber — the Premier’s ‘wait and see’ approach is leaving thousands of workers vulnerable to layoffs.” Bourgouin criticized the Ford government for failing to present a concrete strategy, calling their approach “an afterthought” for northern Ontario’s economy. …Ontario NDP party argues that using Ontario-produced wood could tackle multiple challenges at once, safeguarding forestry jobs, boosting local economies, and addressing the province’s housing shortage with “made-in-Ontario” solutions.
Members of the forest industry and the provincial government weighed in Monday on the Trump administration’s decision to raise tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department decided to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood to 20.56 per cent. A news release stated the province’s forest industry is “deeply troubled” by the decision to increase the duties by over 14 per cent. “Increasing anti-dumping duties to 20.56 per cent from the current average rate of 7.66 per cent is unjustified,” read the statement. “New Brunswick’s softwood lumber producers already face punitive and unfair anti-dumping and countervailing duties.” According to the statement, when combined with an anticipated rise in countervailing duties, the new increase to anti-dumping duties will mean an expected new total of 34 per cent by the middle of August.
A cornerstone industry of northwestern Ontario is at risk, says a regional municipal group, with the decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to raise anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 20.56 per cent. “Forestry is the economic lifeblood of communities across northwestern Ontario,” said Rick Dumas, president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), in a July 28 statement. “This unjustified and protectionist action will have a direct and harmful impact on workers, families, Indigenous communities, and local economies throughout our region.” The provincial government called the U.S. commerce department’s decision to increase duties on Canadian softwood lumber exports an “unjust burden” on American consumers that will raise construction costs in the U.S., make homes less affordable, and negatively impact economic growth on both sides of the border. “We remain firm in our position that these duties should be lifted entirely, for the benefit of workers and families on both sides of the border.”
Northern Pulp is abandoning its plans in Nova Scotia, but the province is still counting on the company to decommission its old mill and clean up the site in Pictou County that was used for heavy industrial activity for more than half a century. Environment Minister Tim Halman says his department is waiting for the company to file a reclamation plan. …Northern Pulp had been pursuing a new mill in Liverpool, and had said it would maintain the old mill for “potential logistics operations.” But the plan for a new mill was abandoned earlier this month. In a settlement agreement, Northern Pulp agreed to pay up to $15 million to the province for the mill’s closure and any necessary cleanup. …(However), it must first pay off hundreds of millions of dollars owed to its creditors as part of an insolvency process being handled in a BC court.
SKAMANIA COUNTY, Washington — Sawmills have been closing across the Pacific Northwest over the past 30 years. There is just one left in Skamania County, down from six during its logging heyday. Limited log supply from the region’s national forests has cut off their raw material, while cheap lumber from Canada has taken market share for their finished product. Owners of the remaining mills have high hopes that President Trump will deliver relief by increasing logging in national forests and raising trade protections against Canadian exports. Although the latter can be achieved with a stroke of the president’s pen, meaningfully boosting the federal timber harvest could take years and be impeded by litigation and red tape. …US sawyers have argued successfully in trade cases that their Canadian competitors are supplied with subsidized government logs, and that they offer two-by-fours over the border for less than they sell them at home. [to access the full story a WSJ subscription is required]
