U.S. Nearly Doubles Canadian Lumber Tariffs

Material Costs
Published

The U.S. Department of Commerce today raised tariffs on imports of Canadian softwood lumber products from the rate of 8.05% to 14.54% following its annual review of existing tariffs.

Although NAHB is disappointed by this action, this decision is part of the regularly scheduled review process the United States employs to ensure adequate relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade practices.

The Department of Commerce initiated its fifth administrative reviews of its softwood lumber anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders in March 2023 and announced its preliminary findings of these reviews at the beginning February 2024. On Aug. 19, the agency issued its final results on antidumping and countervailing duties averaging a combined total of 14.54%, and these higher duties are now in effect.

For years, NAHB has been leading the fight against lumber tariffs because of their detrimental effect on housing affordability. In effect, the lumber tariffs act as a tax on American builders, home buyers and consumers.

With housing affordability already near a historic low, NAHB continues to call on the Biden administration to suspend tariffs on Canadian lumber imports into the United States and to move immediately to enter into negotiations with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement that will eliminate tariffs altogether. And we continue to work with our allies in Congress to put pressure on the administration to take action.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Sustainability and Green Building | IBS

Jul 22, 2025

2026 IBS Sustainability & Green Building Scholarship Application Now Open

The NAHB IBS Sustainability and Green Building Scholarship aims to provide emerging green builders exposure to the world of high-performance homes and help them jump-start their professional journey by attending the International Builders’ Show (IBS).

Housing Finance

Jul 21, 2025

House Bill Restores Funding for Several Housing Programs from Trump Budget

The House Appropriations Committee has voted to restore funding for key housing programs that President Trump eliminated in his “skinny budget,” such as housing choice vouchers, project-based rental assistance and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 22, 2025

Top 10 Builder Market Share Across Metros

An earlier post described how the top 10 builders in the country captured a record 44.7% of new single-family closings in 2024. BUILDER Magazine has now released additional data on the top ten builders within each of the 50 largest new home markets in the U.S., ranked by single-family permits.

Economics

Jul 21, 2025

Use of Private Water and Sewer Systems in New Single-Family Homes

The share of new single-family homes built with individual septic systems declined slightly in 2024 compared to the previous year, while the share of homes served by private wells remained steady.

Economics

Jul 21, 2025

Sales of Lower-Priced New Single-Family Homes Declined Over the Past Five Years

From 2020 to 2024, sales of lower-priced new homes declined significantly as the market moved toward higher-priced segments. Rising construction costs—driven by inflation, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages—as well as higher regulatory costs, made it increasingly difficult for builders to construct affordable homes.