A major win for contractors and builders under pressure from elevated building material costs, the U.S. Department of Commerce dropped duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports.
Announced on Oct. 14, the final determination lowers the combined duty rate from 35.16% to 24.75%. The cumulative duty and tariff burden decreases from 45.16% to 34.75%, as the separate 10% Section 232 tariff remains in effect.
“While the reduction represents a positive development for the industry, Canadian softwood lumber continues to face substantial trade barriers,” wrote the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association. “For the LBM industry, ongoing tariff uncertainty remains a concern for sourcing, product availability and long-term planning.”
The National Association of Home Builders supports a measure to suspend tariffs on all building materials through support of the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act.
