U.S. Lumber Coalition Rejects Canada's Demands to Drop Successful Trade Law Enforcement Measures

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian federal and provincial governments have deployed over $3 billion dollars in new subsidies over the last year in an attempt to maintain Canada's massive excess lumber capacity and production. As stated by Canadian officials, the goal of these new subsidies is to neutralize the impact of U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties as well as President Trump's Section 232 tariff measures aimed at maintaining and boosting U.S. softwood lumber production.

"If Canada doesn't like being subject to duties and tariffs, then all Canada needs to do is dismantle its massive excess lumber capacity, stop dumping their excess production into the U.S. market to the detriment of U.S. mills and workers, and stop providing billions of dollars annually in new subsidies. It is not complicated and does not require a negotiated settlement. The President's trade law enforcement measures are working. Canadian and non-Canadian shipments into the United States are down, U.S. lumber production and capacity has been preserved and even increased during a weak housing market, and new investments within the United States are happening as we speak, creating thousands of U.S. jobs," stated Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition.

"After receiving a bailout worth billions of dollars to maintain their harmful excess lumber capacity, Canadian producers and government officials now have the audacity to demand that the United States drop its trade law enforcement measures and open up our market to even more unfair trade in order to safeguard Canadian jobs at the expense of U.S. jobs. It is outrageous," stated Steve Swanson, CEO and Executive Chairman of Swanson Group and Chair of the U.S. Lumber Coalition.

"We applaud the strong stance that President Trump has taken to stand up for American workers facing Canadian unfair trade practices. Our industry has responded to the President's strong trade policies by investing to expand domestic production and creating thousands of jobs, all during a period of weak demand for lumber as housing starts have remained low. The U.S. industry has added over 8 billion board feet of lumber production capacity since 2016, producing an additional 37 billion board feet cumulatively since that period, and we are continuing to expand Made in U.S.A. lumber production," added Swanson.

Strong trade law enforcement has helped the United States reach a level of lumber supply self-sufficiency not seen since the 1970s, with U.S. sawmills now supplying nearly 75 percent of the U.S. market and climbing. Meanwhile, Canadian production capacity has declined by 4.3 billion board feet, and Canadian lumber producers' market share in the United States plummeted from more than 30 percent in 2016 to below 19 percent this year. Non-Canadian imports are also trending downward. President Trump's trade policies are working for the American forestry sector, its workers, and forestry dependent communities.

"As Canada continues to double down on unfair trade, we urge the President to double down on his America First trade law enforcement agenda," stated van Heyningen.

Since President Trump imposed additional Section 232 tariffs last September, the domestic industry has made even more progress. For example:

• In September 2025, Hood Industries in Mississippi announced plans to build a brownfield sawmill in Waynesboro, MS, at an estimated cost of $260 million. This new mill will have an initial annual capacity of 300 million board feet, which reflects an 88% increase for the company. Construction is underway and expected to be completed in February 2027.
• In January 2026, Pleasant River Lumber in Maine added a second shift at its Enfield mill, which has increased production by 50%. Over the next five years, the company plans to spend $15 million on capital expenditure projects and add even more jobs to meet their production goals. Jason Brochu, co-owner of the mill, said, "I think what you're seeing now is the benefit of trade protection leading to investment, which is going to make the mill stronger."
• In January 2026, Winwood Forestry Products in Mississippi announced a $2 million capital investment in Adams County, MS, to expand its sawmill operations there and increase production capacity, creating 15 jobs and retaining 30 more.
• In April 2026, New South Lumber Company, a lumber producer in Alabama that is owned by Canadian producer Canfor, announced that it is investing $10.5 million to expand operations at its Mobile County facility, which will allow the company to retain more than 250 jobs.
• In April 2026, Davis Timber Company in Louisiana announced that it will invest $1.9 million to expand its Beauregard Parish operations with new production capabilities. This investment is expected to create 12 new direct jobs and 9 new indirect jobs and retain 11 current jobs.
• In May 2026, West Fraser, a Canadian company, announced a $70.25 million expansion of a sawmill that it owns in Escambia County, Florida, which will create 30 new jobs.
• In June 2026, Irving Forest Products, which manufactures softwood lumber both in Canada and the United States, announced a $42 million investment to expand its sawmill operation in Maine to increase production capacity and add 80 jobs. Reportedly, "the size of the mill is effectively doubling, from 68,500 square feet to 136,500 square feet" and is a significant, multimillion dollar project.
• In June 2026, C&C Forest Products in Louisiana announced that it is investing over $21 million to rebuild its Coushatta sawmill following a 2025 fire. This is expected to "create 77 direct new jobs with an average annual salary of $65,260, which is 34% above the average Red River Parish wage, while retaining 27 current positions. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 256 indirect new jobs, for a total of 333 potential new job opportunities."
• In October 2026, Stimson Lumber in Oregon will complete construction of a new sawmill at its Forest Grove, OR site. Andrew Miller, Board Chair and Owner of Stimson Lumber, said that this $90 million investment "would not have been made without the duties and tariffs on Canadian lumber." Strong trade enforcement "provided the marketplace certainty" for Stimson to justify expanding its production capacity.

U.S. lumber community voices on President Trump's Trade Policies Boosting U.S. Forest Products Manufacturing – Short Video

About the U.S. Lumber Coalition
Video: Building American Dreams
The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers from around the country, joined by their employees and woodland owners, working to address Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. Our goal is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community and effectively address Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices. The Coalition supports the full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to allow the U.S. industry to invest and grow to its natural size without being impaired by unfairly traded imports. Continued full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws will strengthen domestic supply lines by maximizing long-term domestic production and lumber availability produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes. For more information, please visit the Coalition's website at www.uslumbercoalition.org.

CONTACT: Zoltan van Heyningen
[email protected] | 202-805-9133

SOURCE The U.S. Lumber Coalition