September 13, 2024

Canada officially launches challenge on revised U.S. softwood lumber duties

The Government of Canada announced it filed notices challenging, under Chapter 10 of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the final results of the U.S. Department of Commerce's fifth administrative reviews of its anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on softwood lumber from Canada.

In a statement issued on September 9, Canada's Minister of International Trade, Mary Ng said:

"Today, Canada took the necessary steps to begin two legal challenges under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce's decision to increase softwood lumber duties: one contesting U.S. anti-dumping duties and the other contesting U.S. countervailing duties."

"In its most recent annual reviews of softwood lumber duty rates, the United States further increased the unfair and unjust duties on Canadian softwood lumber, hurting Canadian industry and jobs and increasing housing costs in both countries."

"Canada has consistently contested U.S. decisions imposing duties on Canadian softwood lumber products under CUSMA and NAFTA and at the United States Court of International Trade."