The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) both issued statements in opposition to the Department of Commerce’s move to increase countervailing and antidumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports from 8.99% to 18.32% by the end of the year.
“As the voice of the LBM Industry across the U.S., NLBMDA strongly criticizes the decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to double tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber products and demands that the Biden administration reverse their ruling before this increase is allowed to take effect,” Jonathan Paine, NLBMDA president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “These tariffs are a tax on American consumers and will further aggravate the affordable housing crisis afflicting communities across the country. As the U.S. economy continues to face record-high lumber price volatility and uncertainty, the Biden administration should be seeking out a permanent trade agreement with Canada that eliminates tariffs and brings long-term stability to the supply and pricing of softwood lumber.”
NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke said the move to double the tariffs on Canadian lumber shipments into the U.S. shows “the White House does not care about the plight of American home buyers and renters” who have been forced to pay higher costs for housing.
The decision from the Department of Commerce comes when lumber prices re at all-time highs, with the NAHB estimating lumber costs are adding an additional $36,000 on the cost of new single-family homes. Numerous industry organizations have lobbied for lumber price assistance in the past few months as prices have continued to soar.
The NLBMDA said it is “committed to working with its industry partners and allies in Congress” to reverse the Department of Commerce’s decision and said it will continue to fight for the renewal of a Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada.
