The Government of Saskatchewan says they welcome the American Department of Commerce’s decision to review duties imposed on Canadian softwood lumber exports to the United States.

The review was initially launched in 2017.

The decision retroactively reduces the duties to the US imposed on softwood lumber exports from 20 percent to 9 percent. Since 2017, Saskatchewan forestry companies have paid over $50 million in duties to the US government. The duty reduction is expected to result in several millions of dollars in relief back to Saskatchewan softwood lumber producers. Canada currently supplies approximately 30 percent of the American softwood lumber demand.

Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison says the reduction in duties is a step in the right direction for advancing free trade for our softwood exports.

The government says the province’s forestry sector continues to play an important role in Saskatchewan’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

In 2019, Saskatchewan forest product sales were $946 million, and the sector directly and indirectly employed 7,800 people.