The U.S. Commerce Dept. on Nov. 24 followed through with expected anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber, placing tariffs of 17.99% on their imports—more than twice the 8.99% rate imposed during the Trump administration.

“These unjustified duties harm Canadian communities, businesses and workers,” said Mary Ng, Canada’s minister of international trade, in a statement. “They are also a tax on U.S. consumers, raising the costs of housing, renovations and rentals at a time when housing affordability is already a significant concern for many.”

U.S.-Canada Dispute Impacts

In May, Commerce said it planned to hike the rate to 18.32%, but the agency decided to ratchet down that plan after further study over the summer. Nevertheless, the department more than doubled the base levy on Canadian producers. While homebuilder customers that Ng mentioned will likely be the hardest hit, contractors building commercial and other building types also expect to see increased prices due to the higher tariff rates.

“虽然木材对单户住宅的建设比多户家庭更重要，但对于许多项目来说，这是重大成本要素，例如改建项目和甲板或其他餐馆的添加，”新利18备用网址，指出。“这项关税的加倍只会延长过去18个月反复撞击木材的极端价格上涨。”

However, U.S. lumber producers welcomed the stiffer penalties on what they have alleged for more than a decade was unfair competition due to government subsidies by Canada to its mills and producers.

“美国木材联盟强烈敦促政府继续进行全面的贸易执法，”其董事长杰森·布丘（Jason Brochu）说，他也是缅因州多佛 - 福克斯克罗夫特Pleasant River Lumber Co.的联合主席。“在美国生产的更多美国木材以满足国内需求是执法的直接结果。公平竞争环境对于国内木材行业的持续投资和增长至关重要。”

不列颠哥伦比亚省木材贸易委员会提到了木材市场的大流行后复苏，并表示，如果没有进口，美国生产商将无法满足需求。

理事会主席苏珊·尤尔科维奇（Susan Yurkovich）表示：“我们强烈的希望是，美国行业将结束这几十年的诉讼，而是与我们合作满足对全球所需的低碳木材产品的需求。”