Canadian operators will be required to pay duties on softwood lumber shipments to the US at the beginning of January 2018.

This announcement also says that ‘critical circumstances’ exist on the anti-dumping duty, so companies WILL be required to pay AD retroactively to March 2017.

US Commerce Dept Final Determination: Softwood Lumber Duties, Nov 2017

the “loose” windows of the Preliminary Determinations have passed as of yesterday afternoon — when talks between Canadian and US negotiators failed to come up with a settlement — there is no possibility of a new softwood lumber agreement until the usual litigation process that takes place in US domestic trade court (approx 1.5 – 2 yrs).

last Madison’s heard was that by August combined duties collected were approx $500 million.
in previous disputes, over the five year course of litigation in US domestic trade court followed by at the WTO and NAFTA, the total collected was approx $5 billion.

these amounts actually pale in comparison to what was paid by both sides to lawyers.

please feel free to contact our office for more information. we will be updating on this important news item as more information comes out.

Keta Kosman
Publisher
Madison’s Lumber Reporter, est. 1952
Vancouver, BC, Canada
www.madisonsreport.com
604 319-2266