FPAC Statement on Proposed U.S. Tariffs and Potential Threat to Canada’s Forest Sector
The Canadian forest products sector directly employs nearly 200,000 Canadians and supports another 200,000 jobs across transportation, maintenance and manufacturing
Ottawa, ON — Canada’s forest sector is disappointed by the proposed expansion of U.S. tariffs to a broad range of Canadian forest products.
Canadian forest products already face significant trade barriers in the United States, including longstanding duties on softwood lumber and more recent Section 232 tariffs. At a time when our American neighbours are struggling with affordability and the need to build more homes, these actions will unfortunately hurt them too.
“Forest sector workers and communities across Canada have been dealing with escalating and unnecessary U.S. trade actions for far too long and it continues to hurt Canadian and American families alike,” said Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada and the Canadian Wood Council.
“Expanding this tariff action to even more forest products categories is deeply disappointing. Just two weeks ago, Congress passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — a bipartisan package aimed at boosting U.S. housing supply by reducing regulatory barriers and helping communities build more homes. This trade action flies completely in the face of that effort. Tariffs on the very materials used to build homes, renovate properties, and support North American construction supply chains will only make housing more expensive for American families. These actions will increase costs on our American neighbours, full stop,” Nighbor added.
FPAC will continue working across our industry, with federal and provincial governments, other affected industries, labour groups, and our American business partners to defend our interests. We will continue to support a Team Canada approach in standing up for Canadian forest sector employees and the communities they call home.
