Mary Ng, Canada’s top trade official, expressed a willingness and desire to engage in negotiations with the United States on a new softwood lumber trade agreement during a video conference meeting with National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) CEO Jerry Howard and senior staff, according to the association. Ng met with her U.S. counterpart, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on July 6 and raised the issue of U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber and the importance of keeping interconnected supply chains open.
The U.S. is currently imposing 9% tariffs on Canadian lumber shipments into the country and a preliminary decision by the U.S. Commerce Department could result in the tariffs more than doubling to 18.32% by the fall. The NAHB has been urging the Biden administration to resume trade talks and has opposed tariffs on Canadian lumber that “exacerbate price volatility and raise housing costs.”
Howard has previously testified before Congress and said the United States “must immediately engage with Canada to adopt a new softwood lumber agreement and stop the imposition of harmful tariffs on Canadian lumber.”
The NAHB said its meeting with Minister Ng was a positive step forward towards a potential softwood lumber agreement.
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