Minister Ng meets with Canadian softwood lumber industry leaders

March 10, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

Canada’s softwood lumber industry provides well-paying jobs and is a key economic anchor for communities across the country. Our softwood helps build American homes and workplaces, exemplifies the deep integration between our two economies, and is a key input to American manufacturing.

Since 2017, the Government of Canada has been standing with the Canadian softwood lumber industry against the unwarranted and illegal U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber.

Yesterday, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, met with Canadian softwood lumber industry leaders to discuss this issue, and reiterated that resolving the softwood lumber dispute in a manner that protects Canadian jobs and communities is the only resolution we will accept.

The Minister provided an update on recent engagement with the United States and on the steps Canada is taking to challenge U.S. duties under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and before the WTO. International panels have consistently found Canada to be a fair-trading partner and that these duties are inconsistent with U.S. international trade obligations. 

Minister Ng underscored Canada’s interest in exploring all avenues to resolve the dispute, including negotiations on a new softwood lumber agreement, which the United States has blocked and refused to participate in.

The Minister noted her commitment to maintaining a dialogue with Canadian softwood lumber industry leaders to identify solutions to the issue that benefit the forestry industry, its workers, and communities.

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