The BC Government is furious with the final determinations of duties from the United States Department of Commerce.
Canadian producers will now pay 21.83%, down from 26.75%, for lumber shipments entering the United States.
The final countervailing duty rate is 14.25%, decreased from the preliminary rate 19.88% and the final anti-dumping duty rate is 6.58%, a decrease from the preliminary rate 6.78%.
President of Lumber Trade Council Susan Yurkovich says the BC government will be fighting America’s decision.
“We will be immediately filing appeals of these final duties today and we’ll be working with our council, the council for the province of British Columbia and led by the council for Canada will immediately file appeals on this.”
Yurkovich added that they have a solid case against the US to appeal their decision.
Premier John Horgan says his main focus will be on preventing job loss.
“We are going to be working to ensure communities are whole. We’re going to be speaking with mayors and regional directors later in the day to see what steps we can take to protect jobs in the Interior.”
Horgan says the US needs Canada’s product as 55% of trade between the two countries originates in BC.
Last year, the United States imported about $5 billion worth of lumber of Canada.
The BC forest sector supported 60,000 direct jobs and one in four manufacturing jobs in 2016.
(Files from Jeff Slack with MYPRINCEGEORGENOW)