The Ontario Forest Industries Association emphasizes the need for federal funding to support an aid package for the industry.
With U. S. tariffs on Canadian lumber, timber, and other forest products now reaching 45 percent, Ottawa must begin providing assistance to the struggling forestry sector, according to the Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA).
The recent increase and expansion of tariffs on Canadian products now includes value-added items like kitchen cabinets, vanities, and some furniture. These measures from the Trump administration took effect on October 14.
“We have been advising governments at all levels to anticipate and prepare for the crisis we now find ourselves in,” said Ian Dunn, OFIA president-CEO, in an October 15 news release.
“The Trump administration has reached the absurd conclusion that upholstered furniture and softwood lumber represent a national security threat to the most powerful military on earth. Progress appears to have been made with the U. S. for other trade-impacted sectors, and lumber needs to be viewed as an equal priority.”
Back in August, OFIA noted that Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $1.2 billion federal aid package aimed at helping the softwood lumber industry adapt and remain competitive through loan guarantees, market diversification funding, and prioritizing Canadian materials in government-funded construction projects.
Dunn mentioned that industry players are “eager to finalize and implement these programs.”
“These measures need to be accessible to the sector, and the urgency to get this done has never been greater. Our industry continues to work with the Government of Canada to implement stabilization measures that work for the industry and support efforts in getting a deal done that includes the forest product sector.”
The Toronto-based OFIA represents forestry companies across Ontario, ranging from multinational corporations to family-run businesses.
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