Friday April 10, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 9:58 am | Updated 3:22 pm & 7:36 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Charges on the export of Canadian softwood lumber products into the United States will continue at high rates for now.
“There has been a slight decrease in the preliminary rates. However we cannot confirm a decrease in rates until the final results are published by the US Federal Register in Fall 2026,” says the Ministry of Forests today in a statement to Island Social Trends.
Yesterday, BC Forests Minister Ravi Parmar issued a statement about administrative review results on Canadian softwood lumber duty, expressing his disappointment at not seeing any change for the better.
Over the years, forestry has been a significant contributor to jobs in BC and to the process of building homes and other buildings across this country.
The overall decades-long challenge regarding softwood lumber duties imposed by the United States highlights the dependence on trade with the United States that has persisted within Canada’s economic model.
Rates:
The Ministry of Forests has released this detailed information on the rates:
- The current rates applied to Canadian companies are as follows: West Fraser 26.47%; Canfor 47.59%; all other exporting companies 35.16%.
- The U.S. Department of Commerce issued their preliminary results of the seventh administrative reviews of its anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on softwood lumber products from Canada. The preliminary rates are as follows:
| Preliminary Rate | |
| West Fraser | 20.70% |
| Canfor | 31.02% |
| All others | 24.83% |
Preliminary results for administrative reviews do not take effect; only final results do once they are published in the U.S. Federal Register. The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to issue the final results in Fall 2026.
Minister’s statement:
Parmar’s statement on April 9 is in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s release of preliminary results of the seventh administrative review of its anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on Canadian softwood lumber:
“British Columbia stands with all those across Canada in our disappointment that the United States has signalled that it will continue to impose unwarranted and unfair duties on Canadian softwood lumber products.
“These duties serve only to damage both of our economies by harming B.C. and Canadian communities, and increasing the cost of housing and renovations for American families.
“Duties on Canadian softwood lumber needlessly favour offshore imports that endanger North American jobs across the supply chain. Workers in B.C., in Canada and in the United States are worse off from duties on softwood lumber.
“We will continue to defend B.C.’s forestry sector and the hardworking people in it from the punitive duties and tariffs imposed by the United States.”
===== RELATED:
NEWS SECTIONS: FORESTS | TRADE DIVERSIFICATION