U.S. Lumber Coalition Responds to Premier Ford Call to Open America's "Gates" To Canada's Unfairly Traded Lumber Exports

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Canada is acknowledging the importance of a healthy softwood lumber market as a key component in forestry management practices. As such, Canada should also acknowledge the tremendous harm unfairly traded Canadian lumber exports to the United States inflicts on American industry, workers, and forestry dependent communities.

Ontario Premier Ford last week attacked a broad range of U.S. Members of Congress and President Trump and demanded that President Trump eliminate tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. Premier Ford then reminisced about the days when unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports elbowed their way in to maintain 30 to 33 percent of the U.S. market, while displacing American-made lumber out of its own domestic market.

"Through strong trade law enforcement and Section 232 tariffs, President Trump has achieved historically low market shares for unfairly traded Canadian lumber in the U.S. market—down from 35 percent to an average of 19 percent. Ontario Premier Ford is now openly calling for the reversal of this success by demanding that the United States 'open its gates' to Canada's massive excess lumber capacity and unfair trade practices that have been so disruptive to the U.S. market," stated Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition.

"In their most recent statements, Canadian officials openly state their objectives with respect to the softwood lumber trade issue. Premier Ford is wishfully demanding the return of Canada having all the U.S. market share it needs to run its excess lumber capacity facilities at full production. In doing so, Premier Ford has had to acknowledge that forest management in markets disrupted by unfairly traded lumber imports is also negatively affected. Asking the United States to absorb unfairly traded lumber driven by Canada's massive excess lumber capacity and unprecedented levels of subsidies is outrageous. It comes at a devastating cost to U.S. workers, their companies and their forestry dependent communities," stated van Heyningen.

"Instead of demanding that America open its gates to Canada's massive and heavily subsidized excess lumber capacity to improve the health of the Canadian forestry industry, Canada should be dismantling that excess capacity in a responsible manner. The United States cannot afford to be the dumping ground for Canada's unfairly traded lumber. Instead, the U.S. Lumber Coalition urges continued support for President Trump staying the course by maintaining the level of tariffs and duties needed to sustain the expansion of U.S. lumber manufacturing and the availability of more American homes made with American lumber," concluded van Heyningen.

U.S. lumber community voices on President Trump's Trade Policies Boosting U.S. Forest Products Manufacturing -- West Coast

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

About the U.S. Lumber Coalition
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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