U.S. Cuts Duties on Canadian Lumber

Following its annual review, the U.S. Department of Commerce lowered antidumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports from about 35.16% to 24.75%.

Last year, the agency began its seventh set of administrative reviews of the softwood lumber antidumping and countervailing duty orders and released its preliminary findings on April 13.

On Oct. 13, the agency issued final antidumping and countervailing duty rates totaling 24.75%, which will go into effect following publication in the Federal Register.

Total duties on lumber imports are 34.75%, however, because the Trump administration imposed a separate 10% tariff on timber and softwood lumber after a Section 232 national security investigation.

NAHB has long opposed lumber tariffs because they undermine housing affordability, effectively taxing American builders, home buyers and consumers.

With housing affordability near a historic low, NAHB continues to urge the Trump administration to suspend tariffs on all building materials, including Canadian lumber, and promptly negotiate a new softwood lumber agreement with Canada that eliminates tariffs.

Driven largely by NAHB’s advocacy, lawmakers in both chambers introduced the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act, which would exempt many home building materials from current and future Trump administration tariffs.