Saturday April 5, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today Premier David Eby released a statement in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce announcement that it plans to raise softwood duties against Canadian producers to 34.45%.
Calling it an attack on forestry workers, Eby repeats his people-first message of supporting the workers and businesses in the BC forestry sector.
US President Trump is trying to push away what he perceives as competitors and bring more production (manufacturing, forestry, etc) back within US borders.
Pressures on the BC forestry industry are not new. Tariffs (duties) have been in place for years, as highlighted by Forests Minister Ravi Parmar in recent months.
The cost of housing and other infrastructure projects is impacted when the cost of lumber goes up and production timelines could be impacted as suppliers adjust.
Eby will meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday (April 7) and plans on discussing the forestry tariff issue. On Thursday in an outdoor press conference in Victoria, Eby said he is “on team orange (NDP)” but he wants to see stability in Canadian leadership after the April 28 federal election, which was a tacit endorsement of the Liberal Leader.
On April 3 Carney said during a press conference in Ottawa: “We must respond with both purpose and force” and “If the United States no longer wants to lead, Canada will”.
Premier’s statement on softwood lumber (April 5, 2025)
“The U.S. Department of Commerce announced yesterday that they are going to more than double countervailing duties imposed on Canadian softwood lumber, driving up housing costs for Americans who voted for a President who promised to lower costs.
“This is an attack on forest workers and British Columbians. I know that during hard times it is often the workers who pay the price. To every forestry worker in British Columbia hearing the news of this impending increase to softwood lumber duties, know this: We have got your back and your government will fight for you.
“In Canada, the continued unjustified softwood lumber duties, combined with additional U.S. tariffs and other trade actions, have united Canadians. We have friends and family in the United States who need Canadian lumber to build or rebuild their homes, and both Canadians and Americans need an end to this trade dispute.
“We will, as always, work with the other provinces and territories, the forest sector and the federal government to fight this most recent decision through all avenues available to us, at the first possible opportunity.
“I am meeting with the Prime Minister on Monday, April 7, 2025, and I plan on raising this issue with him directly. B.C. workers and their families depend on the jobs that these tariffs are targeting, and we hope to see the same Team Canada approach to protecting them, just like with the automotive and steel industry jobs in Ontario and Quebec.
“We will continue to work with business, labour and First Nations leaders to seek approaches to defend the hard-working forestry workers of B.C., their families and the industry as a whole from the increasingly hostile actions of our largest trading partner.”
===== RELATED:
NEWS SECTIONS: CANADA-NATIONAL | CANADA-USA | TARIFFS & TRADE | CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION 2025 | BC 43rd PARLIAMENT