Escalation of Harmful Canadian Softwood Lumber Subsidies Confirmed by the U.S. Department of Commerce

CONTACT: Zoltan van Heyningen

[email protected] | 202-805-9133

U.S. Lumber Coalition: Escalation of Harmful Canadian Softwood Lumber Subsidies Confirmed by the U.S. Department of Commerce

Washington, D.C., April 4, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced the preliminary determination of an anti-subsidy rate of 14.38% in the sixth annual review of unfairly traded Canadian softwood lumber imports into the United States. The Commerce Department has determined a combined preliminary anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 34.45% for Canadian lumber imported in calendar year 2023.

“Unfair trade by Canada to the tune of 34.45% in the U.S. softwood lumber market substantiates yet again the everyday egregious harm to the U.S. industry by Canada’s abusive dumping and subsidies practices. These unfair trade practices are designed by Canada to maintain an artificially inflated U.S. market share for Canadian products and force U.S. companies to curtail production, thereby killing U.S. jobs,” stated Andrew Miller, Owner/Chair of Stimson Lumber Company and Chairman of the U.S. Lumber Coalition.

“Massive predatory unfair practices, whether committed by Canada or China, causes serious harm to U.S. industries and workers, and Canada’s unfair trade practices in the softwood lumber industry are no different,” said Miller.

“The U.S. Lumber Coalition applauds the Trump Administration’s strong enforcement of the U.S. trade laws,” added Miller. “Continued commitment to enforce the U.S. trade laws against subsidized and unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports is exactly what must happen to strengthen domestic supply lines by removing unfairly traded imports that are killing American jobs.”

“The American lumber industry and forestry sector today has the capacity to supply nearly all U.S. lumber demand, and with continued strong trade law enforcement and additional tariff measures being contemplated by President Trump, the U.S. industry can, over time, supply 100 percent of the softwood lumber need of the United States. That means more Made in the U.S.A. softwood lumber is being produced by U.S. companies and workers to supply our domestic housing needs,” stated Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition.

“The National Lumber Building Materials Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) are fighting alongside Canada to push for unfettered access to the U.S. market for unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports on the basis that it would provide access to more ‘affordable’ softwood lumber. Sadly, the simple fact is that this ‘affordable’ softwood lumber is sharply below market rates, is massively dumped and subsidized, is costing real American families their jobs, and is counter to the President’s goal of further solidifying the U.S. softwood lumber supply chain,” added van Heyningen. “So-called ‘cheaper’ Canadian lumber is simply Canada dumping their massive excess lumber capacity into the U.S. market with detrimental effects on our industry.”

U.S. lumber community voices on competing with dumped and subsidized softwood lumber imports: https://vimeo.com/1072586448

Enforcing the U.S. trade laws helps increase the U.S. supply of lumber to build American homes, all without impacting the cost of a new home. Data provided by the NAHB and Fastmarkets Random Lengths confirm that cost of lumber is a very small component of the price of a new home. Lumber, including delivery and distributor’s markup, makes up only 1.7% of the price of a new home. Duties on Canadian Lumber make up 0.04% of the price of a new home. It simply is not credible to state that lumber cost drives housing affordability.

About the U.S. Lumber Coalition

The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers from around the country, joined by their employees and woodland owners, working to address Canada’s unfair lumber trade practices. Our goal is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community and effectively address Canada’s unfair softwood lumber trade practices. The Coalition supports the full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to allow the U.S. industry to invest and grow to its natural size without being impaired by unfairly traded imports. Continued full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws will strengthen domestic supply lines by maximizing long-term domestic production and lumber availability produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes. For more information, please visit the Coalition’s website at www.uslumbercoalition.org.

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