Statement by Minister Ng on U.S. International Trade Commission determination on softwood lumber products from Canada

November 30, 2023 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, today issued the following statement regarding the results of the sunset review by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) regarding softwood lumber products from Canada:

“Canada is disappointed that the USITC has determined that the United States can continue to impose unfair and unwarranted duties on Canadian softwood lumber products.

“U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber are unfounded and unjustifiably harm Canadian businesses and communities. With significant challenges in housing supply and affordability, these duties also harm U.S. consumers and businesses that need Canadian lumber.

“We will always fight for the best interest of Canadians and continue to use all available avenues to vigorously defend the workers, businesses, and communities who rely on softwood lumber for their livelihoods. This includes pursuing litigation under the North American Free Trade Agreement and Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, and at the World Trade Organization.”

Quick facts

• The USITC and the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) conduct sunset reviews of countervailing duty (CVD) and anti-dumping (AD) duty orders on a 5-year cycle.
• The purpose of the USITC’s sunset reviews is to determine whether revocation of the duty orders would be likely to lead to the continuation or recurrence of material injury to the U.S. industry and, therefore, whether the United States will continue applying duties against Canadian softwood lumber products.
• The results of the USITC sunset review will become official once the determination is issued and published in the U.S. Federal Register.
• Commerce issued the final results of its first sunset review of the CVD and AD orders on softwood lumber from Canada on March 27 and April 3, 2023, respectively.
• Commerce found that, if duties on Canadian softwood lumber products were revoked, there would likely be a continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies and dumping.

Associated links

• Minister Ng welcomes NAFTA dispute panel initial ruling on U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber
• Canada challenges U.S. softwood lumber duties
• Statement by Minister Ng on U.S. duty rates on Canadian softwood lumber