WASHINGTON — A binational NAFTA panel has again confirmed what the U.S. industry has known for decades: the Canadian softwood lumber industry receives numerous unfair subsidies from the Canadian government, and duties to offset those subsidies are appropriate under U.S. law. “The Coalition appreciates the significant work over nearly a decade by the Department of Commerce and the NAFTA Panel to render thoughtful, detailed decisions regarding all of the ways that Canada provides unfair financial support to its lumber industry,” stated Zoltan van Heyningen of the U.S. Lumber Coalition. …”As the Canadian government continues to double down on unfair subsidies to the Canadian industry, the Coalition will double down on its efforts to hold that industry accountable so that U.S. lumber producers, their workers, and their communities can continue to invest in making more American lumber to build more American homes,” added van Heyningen.

Editor’s Note: Global Affairs Canada confirms that the panel upheld Commerce’s revised countervailing duty determination. However, the panel’s role was to assess whether U.S. trade law was properly applied, not to independently determine whether Canadian lumber is unfairly subsidized.