Derek Nighbor

The country’s softwood lumber industry is “frustrated,” worrying it’s being left out of a potential trade deal with the US, says the head of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Derek Nighbor says despite the lumber industry being among the hardest hit by US tariffs, while warning of sweeping impacts to mill towns across the county, it feels relegated to the “kids’ table” in talks behind the interests of the steel, aluminium, and energy sectors. …The Association is hosting this week its annual forest policy conference in Ottawa. That’s in hopes to get softwood back to the forefront in trade talks. …Nighbor made a point in his Ottawa remarks to reference pulp and paper mills. “As some of our mills take down time, I’m hearing from pulp mills now that they’re not sure if they are going to be getting the chips they need to feed their mills “.

• Related coverage in CTV News: OFIA President Ian Dunn on the impact of US tariffs