B.C. Announced Launch of Softwood Lumber Council

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):  To properly resolve the ongoing softwood lumber tariff issue with the U.S. administration, the province of British Columbia (B.C.) announced the creation of a new B.C. Softwood Lumber Advisory Council. The Council met for the first time on January 30, 2025.

The Council will convene regularly to advise the Minister of Forests on lowering the 14.4% levies levied on lumber exports from British Columbia to the United States. Additionally, it will assist the province in lobbying the federal government.

Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar chairs the B.C. Softwood Lumber Advisory Council, which is made up of representatives from labor unions and the forestry industry, as well as specialists in U.S. relations and government representatives from British Columbia.

The United States has been imposing unwarranted softwood lumber taxes on Canada for years, Ravi Parmar noted. He cautioned that before the end of this year, the duties are anticipated to double. He reaffirmed that the Council will use every effort to protect British Columbia's diligent forestry workers from the unjust obligations imposed by the United States.

In 2023, B.C. exported over $3.3 billion worth of softwood lumber to the United States, according to trade data. Almost 10% of the lumber used to build homes in the United States during the year came from the province. Additionally, about 44% of all U.S. imports in 2024 were from Canadian forest products.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

Why the Wall Street Journal is Wrong on the Lumber Dispute

U.S. Lumber Coalition Applauded Trump's Tariff Proposal