Softwood lumber exporters in Nova Scotia are keeping a close eye on negotiations between the United States and the federal government.
For three decades, softwood lumber producers have enjoyed an exemption on their products entering the U.S.
Natural Resources Minister Lloyd Hines says that deal has ended and come June, duties levelled against them could be as high as 30%.
“Our industry is totally integrated from the saw mill through to the pulp mill, to the supercalendared mill, to the logging industry, to hardwood logs – it’s all together in a basket. So when one piece gets hurt everybody gets hurt.”
Hines says, if a new deal isn’t reached soon, softwood exporters from Nova Scotia will feel the pinch.
“By June there will be a countervail on exports into the U.S. and there has not been an exemption granted to Atlantic Canada as of yet. It’s very significant to our exporting market because approximately ninety percent of our lumber goes into the U.S. market.”
Hines says the federal government is in talks with the US.
And they’re working to resolve the dispute before the June deadline.
