Fears about the United States retroactive customs duties on Canadian wood

In British Columbia. Therefore, the independent manufacturers of wood products say that hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses may be forced to close its doors following the recent decision of the United States to increase anti-dumping rights on Canadian timber.

The association of independent wood processors of the province stresses in a statement that the decision of the United States Department of Trade to increase customs duties also includes the obligation for Canadian companies to retroactively pay the rights to products shipped to the United States since January 1. For example, 2023.

The president of the association. Furthermore, Andy Rielly, said that the obligation to pay customs duties on the products shipped in the last 31 months could not only force the small British-Colombian producers to close their doors, but also threaten their personal property, as they could be forced fears about united states retroactive to use their house as guarantee to obtain payment funds.

Rielly urges the Canadian government to create support programs to ensure that the independent British Columbia wood processors can keep their employees. In addition, keep their businesses in activity.

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The fears about united states retroactive United States Department of Commerce announced. For example, earlier this week that it would increase anti-dumping duties on Canadian timber at 20.56 %. arousing the anger of several industrial groups in British Columbia, such as the British Columbia Forest Industries Council and the Broken Columbia Commerce Council.

The association of independent wood processors indicates that the rate applicable to all its members will drop from 14.4 %to 27.3 %, with the possibility of a new increase in the coming weeks, which could bring customs duties to their products to 35 %.

While waiting for the Canadian government to rely on a negotiated settlement of this conflict that has lasted for a long time. we need a government support program to maintain our employment workerssays Rielly, adding that a total right of 35 % would oblige its members to pay retroactive rights of 27 % on the fears about united states retroactive products already shipped.

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Brian Menzies. director general of the association, describes independent producers of wood products as collateral victims of the trade war and affirms that their only hope of avoiding the shock lies either in a favorable call from fears about united states retroactive the Canada-US-Mexico agreement, or in the search for a bilateral agreement.

We should not be faced with export taxes or quotas, says Menzies. Our raw materials are not subsidized. we are too small to sell our products at low prices on the American market.

We buy logs. lumber independently from various suppliers on the free market, as members of the US Lumber Coalition claim, and yet our Canadian companies, as are American consumers, must pay these unjust and costly rights.

In Quebec, the American decision has made many people eyebrow. The Minister of Natural Resources. Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, said on X on Saturday that this American decision to impose unjustified rights again on wood was unacceptable for Quebec.

She added that the new pricing of the wood marketing office. Bill 97 were Concrete tools to protect our forest model, fears about united states retroactive support our workers and ensure a more equitable marketing of our resource.

Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously declared that a future trade agreement between the United States. Canada could include coniferous wood quotas.