Lumber Producer Sees Canada-U.S. Tussle Over Trees Dragging On
- Resolute Forest ‘not optimistic’ dispute will be settled
- Trump administration slapped duties on Canada imports in 2017
This article is for subscribers only.
The odds of settling a long-running dispute between the U.S. and Canada over lumber are looking pretty bleak, according to a key producer.
There’s been no progress to settle the Canada-U.S. fight over softwood lumber as governments have been more focused on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, said Yves Laflamme, chief executive officer of Montreal-based Resolute Forest Products. The company is currently paying about $80 million a year in tariffs, and it’s likely Canada’s legal battle to fight the U.S. restrictions through the World Trade Organization will drag on for another four years, he said.