Ont. responds to U.S. decision on duty orders imposed on Cdn. softwood lumber
by CM Staff
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted in its five-year “sunset review” of duty orders imposed on Canadian exports of softwood lumber to the United States.
TORONTO — On Nov. 30, Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement regarding the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) vote in its five-year “sunset review” of duty orders imposed on Canadian exports of softwood lumber to the United States:
“The Ontario government is extremely disappointed by the ITC’s decision, which upholds the 2017 injury determination and maintains antidumping and countervailing duties against Canadian softwood lumber exports to the U.S.
Today’s decision ignores the strong evidence presented to the Commission demonstrating that softwood lumber exports from Ontario and Canada are not harming the U.S. softwood lumber industry – and it ignores Ontario’s long-standing criticism that U.S. duties on softwood lumber are unwarranted and unfair.
After careful review of the ITC’s forthcoming explanations for its decision, Ontario will evaluate its legal options at this stage of the dispute, in consultation with its stakeholders.
Ontario will continue to defend the workers, families and communities who depend on Ontario’s forest sector – which generates nearly $21 billion in annual revenue and supports more than 142,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Together with provincial governments, the federal government and industry leaders across the country, Ontario stands united to support the Canadian forest industry and free trade between our two countries.”
