CANADA, April 5 - Premier David Eby has released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce announcement that it plans to raise softwood duties against Canadian producers to 34.45%:
“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.”
