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Ontario ministers warn U.S. new softwood lumber duties boost housing costs for Americans

April 10, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

The provincial government is firing back at the United States over its government’s decision to raise duties on Canadian softwood lumber later this year. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce said it will nearly triple anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber, upping the total levy to almost 27 per cent. 

A statement in response to the tariff increase was issued on April 5 by Ontario’s associate minister of forestry and forest products Kevin Holland as well as the minister of economic development, job creation and trade Vic Fedeli.

They said the increase in softwood lumber tariffs raises housing costs for Americans and impacts the nearly 140,000 Ontarians who work in the province’s forest sector.  

“Ontario is deeply disappointed that the United States intends to drastically raise duty rates on Canadian softwood lumber exports later this year. These unjustified and punitive measures will raise construction costs and further strain housing affordability for American families,” the statement reads.

“Ontario’s softwood lumber producers deliver high-quality and sustainably harvested building materials that support jobs, communities, and economic growth on both sides of the border. The continued application – and now, escalation – of these duties is harmful to Ontario’s forest sector and to American consumers alike.”

“Ontario’s forest sector is a vital part of the economy and supports regional prosperity, generating close to $23 billion in revenue in 2022 and supporting more than 137,000 jobs. Continued trade barriers risk undermining this success,” the statement continues. 

“We remain firm that these duties should be lifted entirely.”

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