Canada: Where Does The Softwood Lumber Agreement Currently Stand?

The 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement expired on October 12, 2015. While that agreement mandated export measures on Canadian softwood lumber exports destined for the United States, it also protected those lumber exports from the potential imposition of onerous import measures by the U.S. Currently, a 12-month post-termination stand-still period protects Canadian softwood lumber exports from U.S. import measures. However, that residual protection will soon expire. On August 18, 2016, Martin Moen, Canada’s Chief Negotiator, provided an update report to the Standing Parliamentary Committee on International Trade.