British Columbia Premier David Eby is urging the Canadian government to safeguard forestry workers following the imposition of new tariffs by the U.S. president, which poses a significant threat to an already struggling industry. On Tuesday, the U.S. enforced a 10% tariff on Canadian lumber in addition to the existing 35% tariff. Moreover, a 25% tariff was imposed on certain Canadian wood products such as furniture, impacting communities like Grand Forks, B.C., where local mill operations are already in a fragile state.
Interfor, in early September, announced production cutbacks across all its operations in North America, including Grand Forks. However, the indefinite closure of the mill was disclosed last week, affecting numerous individuals like truck driver Doug Gailey, who expressed shock at the situation.
Interfor’s vice-president of corporate communications and government relations, Svetlana Kayumova, explained that the decision to reduce operations and halt Grand Forks operations indefinitely was due to weak market conditions and economic uncertainty, exacerbated by escalating softwood lumber duties. Premier Eby, in a news conference, demanded federal funding to support forestry workers amid what he described as a severe blow to the industry.
Despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise of $1.2 billion in support for the softwood lumber industry in August, B.C. Council of Forest Industries president Kim Haakstad revealed that the funds have not materialized, prompting Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar to call for immediate action to safeguard the forest sector in Canada.
Eby expressed concerns over the lack of attention towards B.C.’s forestry sector compared to other provinces like Ontario and Quebec, emphasizing the urgent need for support amid the challenging circumstances. He highlighted that Canada faces higher lumber tariffs than Russia and announced plans to launch an advertising campaign in the U.S. to address this issue.
Notably, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt also called for government assistance regarding softwood lumber tariffs, citing the significant impact on the province’s workers and economy. Eby warned about the potential collapse of many forestry companies, posing a severe threat to workers, families, and communities reliant on the industry in British Columbia. In Grand Forks, Gailey emphasized the necessity for government intervention to help the community navigate through the uncertain times.
