Canada and the US have spoken about a potential deal, while columnist Tony Keller says the US Midterms make a deal more possible. In other Business news: Lenzing is investing US$31M in an Alabama lyocell facility; a French court ordered the shutdown of Fibre Excellence’s Saint-Gaudens mill; Metsä Wood is reviewing the status of its UK operations; Canadian building permits fell 4.1%; US existing home sales hit a new low; and European softwood demand remains weak. Meanwhile: Toronto’s Spring House pairs mass timber with seniors’ care; and the Huu-ay-aht First Nations is facilitating affordable housing in Port Renfrew.
In Forestry news: Forests Canada promotes forest resilience; the David Suzuki Foundation challenges Canada’s sustainability claims; a BC Cariboo Chilcotin forum seeks to boost industry; New York awards $45M for tree nurseries; the Nature Conservancy and USDA fund restoration in Idaho and Wyoming; and a US watchdog says it’s unclear how USDA planned its reorganization. In Bioenegy news: Canada launches a bioenergy awards program; Bend, Oregon opens a wood fuelled energy facility; and US demand for woody biomass is on the rise.
Finally, Sweden’s wooden datacentre may be the world’s greenest.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog News Editor
Canada and the U.S. have spoken “within the past few days,” in an effort to work towards a mutually beneficial trade deal, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC on Thursday. U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney speak regularly. However, he declined to share a timeline on negotiations, saying “the substance of the deal is more important than a timeline.” Greer’s comments follow recent predictions from U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra that a trade deal could be reached before the end of 2026. Greer said though Canada “would love to go back to how things used to be, where there’s just unfettered free trade between our two countries,” the U.S. is working on a deal to protect the country’s supply chains. “But we certainly are working on it,” he confirmed.
We are excited to announce that registration for the 17th Annual Global Softwood Log & Lumber Conference is officially open! Join us on May 26–27, 2027, at The Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, for this premier industry event. Bringing together industry leaders and professionals from around the world, the conference will provide an excellent opportunity to explore the latest trends and developments in the global softwood log and lumber market, gain valuable industry insights, and connect with key players across the sector. Take advantage of our Early Bird Registration Rates! Secure your spot today! Register now!
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) has launched 
It’s not clear whether or how much the Agriculture Department considered the impact of its sweeping reorganization plan before embarking on it, a government watchdog says. For months, USDA officials declined to share information with the Government Accountability Office. … In a 
TORONTO – Ecostrat and the BDO Zone Initiative launched the Canada Forest Innovation & Renewable Markets (FIRM) Challenge, a new national awards program for forest regions seeking new industry. Fifteen regions will each receive a fully funded Biofuel Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Rating, worth approximately $150,000, and be actively connected with hundreds of global project developers through a new national Markets Acceleration Centre, with the goal of generating more than $1 billion in new plant announcements in less than two years. …The Challenge is a direct response to the Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force’s call to support new markets for Canada’s wood products. It also launches the BDO Zone Markets Acceleration Centre (BDO-MAC), the network’s market-development arm. BDO-MAC will connect rated Canadian regions directly with bioeconomy developers around the world. The intent is to give Canada’s forest regions a high profile with the developers most likely to build new plants.
Renewables are expected to account for nearly 26% of U.S. electricity generation this year, expanding to nearly 28% in 2027, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Nov. 10. Renewables accounted for 24% of U.S. electricity generation last year. Biomass is currently expected to account for 1.78% of U.S. renewable electricity generation in 2026, falling to 1.59% in 2027. Biomass accounted for 1.89% of U.S. renewable electricity generation in 2025. The EIA currently expects biomass to be used to generate 20.2 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity this year, falling to 19.6 billion kWh next year. Biomass generation was at 19.6 billion kWh in 2025. 