Union urges Canada to protect forestry jobs and cut export reliance as US tariff threat escalates
Unifor is calling for a large-scale "Team Canada" strategy to support the forestry sector following the US Department of Commerce's preliminary decision to more than double duties on Canadian softwood lumber.
According to the union, the move threatens thousands of jobs and puts Canada’s forestry industry at risk.
“We have an opportunity to address two crises with one made-in-Canada plan to build the housing we desperately need with our own mass timber and lumber,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne.
Payne called on both federal and provincial party leaders to commit to a national industrial strategy that would keep Canadians working and support forestry operations across every province.
Unifor represents more than 22,100 forestry workers across 10 provinces who work in sawmills, pulp and paper plants, and wood product manufacturing.
The union is lobbying government and corporate representatives for immediate action to protect these jobs.
Unifor Quebec director Daniel Cloutier said the sector must reduce its dependence on exports and build more domestically. “The lumber is grown here – now we must process and build here,” he said.
Cloutier added that short-term support is needed for employers to keep operations going, as well as income supports for workers impacted by curtailments and layoffs due to increased duties.
The US Department of Commerce's preliminary decision would raise the combined softwood duty to 34.35 percent, with a final determination expected in August 2025.
In addition, the US President has launched a national security investigation into imported lumber, timber, and wood products, which could result in further tariffs on Canadian exports, including pulp and furniture, later this year.
The union said it would defend forestry jobs through all necessary means.
In a statement from the Unifor Forestry Council, the union pledged to continue collaborating with all levels of government.
Their focus includes developing economic protection and financial assistance plans, trade diversification strategies, job loss mitigation, and stronger income security provisions.
According to Unifor, Canada’s forestry sector is already destabilized by overlapping crises.
These include limited access to fibre, ongoing impacts from insect kill, continued annual risk from forest fires, complex conservation efforts, stagnant pricing, and new European Union regulations that could hinder exports.
The current softwood lumber dispute adds further pressure. Last year, average countervailing and anti-dumping duties rose to about 15 percent.
A further review later this year may again raise these duties to roughly 30 percent.
Despite these challenges, Unifor described the sector as a key economic driver, especially in smaller and rural communities.
In 2022, forestry contributed approximately $33.7bn to Canada’s economy, about 1.2 percent of GDP. The sector generates over $87.2bn in annual revenue and supports 200,000 direct jobs.
In 2023, forestry exports totalled nearly $38bn, with $29.3bn—77 percent—going to the US.
The Washington, DC-based National Association of Home Builders has said that domestic softwood lumber production is insufficient to meet US demand, with about 25 percent of consumption imported from Canada.
Canadian forestry products also serve a variety of essential needs, including packaging, hygiene products, and specialty papers.
Unifor noted that Canadian softwood lumber is being used to help rebuild communities in the US, including areas in North Carolina and around Los Angeles hit by recent disasters.
Unifor’s Forestry Council said the current tariff threat is both a danger and a call to action.
While continuing to navigate the impact of US policies, the union said it aims to transform the forestry sector into one that is more sustainable, inclusive and innovative.
Unifor reaffirmed its commitment to defending forestry jobs, tools, machinery, mills, and communities.
The union plans to rely on collective agreements and work with allies to secure a fair trade future and protect Canada’s forestry industry.
