B.C. forests minister says Trump tariffs could be 'devastating' to sector

A worker uses a forklift to move lumber at a mill in Maple Ridge, B.C., Tuesday, April 25, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

U.S. softwood lumber duties and president-elect Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs against Canadian exports could be “devastating” to the province’s forestry sector, B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said on Wednesday.

He said the federal government needed to step up and help the industry as part of a co-ordinated strategy.

“We’ve got some work to do to bring a Team B.C. and Team Canada approach to fighting these duties in particular and convincing the federal government to step up and help us get this sector back on its feet,” Parmar said.

Parmar was speaking in Prince George on Wednesday where the B.C. government announced $5.1 million in capital support for the forest sector through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund.

The B.C. forestry sector has struggled in recent years as environmental factors and government policies have reduced sawmills' access to fibre, leading to numerous mill closures and the loss of thousands of jobs.

The province also launched a review of BC Timber Sales on Wednesday, recognizing the pressure the sector is under.

The organization manages about 20 per cent of B.C.‘s annual allowable cut and the review will recommend ways for it to create forestry-sector growth and reliable market access to fibre.

Parmar said he was “significantly concerned” about the possibility of further mill closures.

“We know that 2025 is going to be a tough year for the forest sector,” he said.

“Much of that has to do with softwood lumber duties going up and whatever this Trump tariff looks like, but this is an opportunity for the sector to come together and for us to be bold.”

The U.S. recently increased its softwood lumber duties on Canadian imports, while Trump has broadly threatened to put 25 per cent tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, unless the two countries address the flow of illegal drugs and migrants across their borders.

B.C. Jobs Minister Diana Gibson, speaking alongside Parmar, said the province’s strategy with the tariff threats is to try to fight them as well as diversify the economy and elevate economic growth in the province to reduce any impact.

“(We) really need to look at how we can we make sure we’re maximizing our jobs here in B.C. and making sure we’re resilient and less reliant on that north-south trade,” she said.

The funding boost through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund aims to help forestry companies grow their operations while maximizing wood supplies through value-added products such as engineered wood.

The funding aims to support seven capital projects as well as five planning projects.

The Opposition B.C. Conservatives' forests critic, Ward Stamer, said in a statement that the industry was facing “critical issues” and it was not the time for “more reviews and delays.”

He called for expedited approval processes and better access to fire-damaged timber and residual fibre.

Canadian premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Wednesday to discuss Trump’s tariff threats.

Trudeau, who chaired the meeting, said it was “highly productive.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2025.

Marcy Nicholson, The Canadian Press