Forestry

A revised U.S. duty stack lowers the combined charge on Canadian softwood lumber but keeps a substantial cost burden on producers and cross-border housing supply.

Ontario’s premier called for long-term planning around persistent U.S. protectionism, reinforcing uncertainty for Canadian firms reliant on cross-border market access.

Retail and supply-chain experts expect the latest tariff escalation to lift Canadian prices and complicate sourcing, while broad product availability largely holds.

A new state-level analysis highlights concentrated Canada trade exposure in battleground states, sharpening the business stakes of continuing tariffs and retaliation.

A new Quebec assessment estimates combined tariff measures could endanger billions in output and up to 23,000 jobs across exposed export industries.

A September 23 legal assessment says rapidly changing U.S. trade and sanctions measures are raising compliance demands and uncertainty for companies operating across borders.

New U.S. duties now cover 110 Canadian product lines, narrowing some firms’ routing options despite near-offsetting exemptions.

New analysis finds executive tariffs have lifted effective rates for U.S. free-trade partners, while CUSMA still cushions most Canadian and Mexican imports.

Stronger Canadian sales to China, driven primarily by energy, widened an alternative export channel while gains remained uneven across sectors.

Tighter U.S. border enforcement is adding paperwork, compliance costs and potential delays for Canada-U.S. freight movements.

Ontario is expanding access to two business-support funds, giving tariff-exposed firms financing and trade-adjustment options as new U.S. restrictions begin.

British Columbia Premier David Eby backed federal counter-tariffs, cited forestry pressure and warned the Canada-U.S. trade dispute may not be resolved quickly.

Washington’s new import bans and expanded 50% tariff list deepen immediate disruption for Canadian dairy and food exporters ahead of Sept. 29.

Canada’s counter-tariffs on roughly 700 U.S. imports took effect as Bombardier shares fell following a U.S. market-access threat.

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs took effect Tuesday, imposing duties of up to 50 per cent on specified U.S. imports.

A Kemptville furniture exporter is weighing a U.S. manufacturing move as tariff costs threaten margins and sales in its main market.

Canada reportedly adjusted planned September counter-tariffs, sparing U.S. seafood while shifting prospective import-cost exposure to copper wire and wood charcoal.

Eco Guardian Inc. has begun making compostable and recyclable paper cups and bowls at its Aurora, Ontario facility, as Canadian foodservice customers show growing interest in domestically made takeaway packaging amid tariff-related uncertainty.[1][2] The company says it replaced a planned U.S. paperboard supply arrangement with sourcing from Asia and Europe, leaving its Canadian production without U.S.-origin inputs that it says could be exposed to Canadian retaliatory tariffs.[2]

U.S. Senator Susan Collins urged the Commerce Department and USTR to resume negotiations with Canada, arguing that U.S. tariffs and Canada’s planned retaliation would raise costs and uncertainty for Maine businesses and communities. Her letter estimated that approximately US$170 million of Maine goods could face the announced Canadian tariffs, with forest products representing about 62% of that exposure.[1]

Canadian counter-tariffs scheduled for September 8 include 25% duties on U.S. toilet paper and several tissue products, while some facial-tissue stock and school or office paper products face 50%. Canadian importers now have to assess landed costs and alternative suppliers across an integrated North American paper market.

RBC, TD, and CIBC reported third-quarter profits above analyst estimates. RBC CEO Dave McKay said more than 80% of Canadian exports remain duty-free and the average effective tariff rate is approximately 6%. TD said it holds about C$500 million in reserves for policy and trade risks.

Oxford Economics estimates the latest U.S. tariff escalation and Canadian counter-tariffs could leave Canada's real GDP 0.3 percentage points below its August baseline in 2027 and lift consumer prices by 0.3 percentage points. The forecast is an estimate, not an observed result.

Canada's real GDP grew 0.8% in the second quarter of 2026, equivalent to a 3.3% annualized rate and the strongest quarterly expansion since 2023. Final domestic demand rose 1.0%, June GDP increased 0.3%, and Statistics Canada's preliminary estimate indicated little change in July.

USTR imposed a 10% tariff on Canadian goods under Section 301, citing failure to enforce forced labor import prohibitions. Not Canada-specific — 60 countries affected. USMCA-compliant goods are exempt.

At the mandatory six-year joint review, the U.S. declined to confirm a 16-year extension of CUSMA/USMCA. The agreement remains in force but faces annual reviews until 2036. Canada has not begun substantive text-based negotiations with the U.S.

The Supreme Court held that IEEPAIEEPAA U.S. emergency-powers law that can be used to restrict certain international economic transactions.Glossary → does not authorize the President to impose tariffs, invalidating the legal basis for the 25–35% broad tariffs on Canadian goods that had been in force since February 2025. CBP stopped collecting IEEPA tariffs on February 24. Importers became eligible for refunds.

Canada filed CUSMA Chapter 10 challenges against U.S. anti-dumping (Aug 28) and countervailing (Sept 11) duties on softwood lumber. Multiple legal venues being pursued simultaneously including WTO, NAFTANAFTAThe North American Free Trade Agreement, in force from 1994 until CUSMA/USMCA replaced it in 2020.Glossary → Chapter 19, and U.S. Court of International Trade.

The 2025 administrative review sharply increased combined CVD/AD duties on Canadian softwood lumber from 8.05% to 35.16% for most producers. Canfor faces 47.59%. These rates stack on top of the separate 10% Section 232 timber tariff.