Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, and Dan Dunmoyer, CEO, California Building Industry Association, have released the following statement on B.C. lumber and softwood duties:

“B.C. and California have a strong relationship and a history of co-operation that has benefited so many people up and down the coast.

“Together, we are working to make sure that our desire for fair, mutually beneficial trade policies is fully understood by U.S. industry leaders and policymakers, and to show that unjustified tariffs on Canadian imports on top of the already challenging softwood issue will only hurt people on both sides of the border.

“There’s no doubt that our American partners need B.C.’s quality softwood products, and any tariff will simply increase the costs to build much-needed housing. This is particularly true following the recent fires in Los Angeles. More than 16,000 homes and buildings were lost, an almost unimaginable tragedy. There are now predictions that housing and rental units will now become even more unaffordable.

“B.C. can play a positive role in helping California rebuild after the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Rebuilding is only possible using B.C. wood, and unjustified tariffs and duties will only make recovery more expensive and take longer. B.C. can help in this housing crisis and we have a role in shaping the future of trade between our two countries.

“The message we are bringing to Californians is this: B.C. is here to help. Our relationship creates reliable jobs and predictable, stable markets at a time when they can be hard to find. The best way forward is together.”