Elsewhere, #softwood #lumber production in Canada continued its previous drops, by another -1.2 per cent compared to the first eight months of 2018, said the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track Tuesday, at 18,809 million board feet versus 19,037 million in January to August the previous year.

However, in British Columbia lumber production, fully half of the Canada total, kept falling, by -3.3 per cent, to 8,511 million board feet, from 8,797 million the previous year, while that of Quebec and Alberta combined maintained levels of last month, at +0.6 per cent, to 10,298 million board feet this year compared to 10,240 million in the first eight months of 2017.

Canada and US Sawmill Capacity Utilization Rates: August 2018

The Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track, released Tuesday puts Canadian lumber production as a percent of practical capacity for January to August 2018 down again, by -2% compared to the same time in 2017, at 88% from 98%.

In August 2018, Canadian #sawmill were operating at 81% of capacity, compared to 84% in July 2018 and 81% in Auguat 2017.

In the US meanwhile, sawmill capacity utilization rates improved again by +2%, to 87%, in the first eight months of 2018 compared to the same time the previous year. In August 2018, sawmills in the US operated at 86% of capacity, compared to 87% in Julu 2018 and 86% in Auguat 2017, said the WWPA.