BC’s forests minister is hopeful a recent North American Free Trade Agreement ruling will bring good news for BC lumber producers.
The dispute over Canada’s softwood lumber exports to the USA has gone on for decades, with American producers complaining that Canadian producers are unfairly subsidized by the way Canada manages crown land and stumpage fees.
This week a NAFTA panel ruled that the last round of countervailing duties imposed on Canadian exporters needs to be recalculated to correct errors.
“The panel decision supports what the Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada have said from the start: These duties are unfair and unwarranted,” said Minister Bruce Ralston in a statement.
Ralston says the decision is good news but doesn’t immediately end to the duties. He says provincial and federal governments will continue lobbying to get them cancelled.
The US Department of Commerce now has 90 days to revise duties based on the NAFTA panel’s findings.
