VICTORIA – Premier John Horgan has released the following statement in response to the United States Department of Commerce’s (US DOC) first administrative review of softwood lumber duties on Canadian exports to the U.S.:

“Today, we received welcome news in our work to protect British Columbia jobs and communities that rely on export of lumber to the U.S.

“We have always known that the duties imposed by the United States were unfair and unwarranted, and the release today of the final results of the US DOC’s first administrative review of duties on softwood lumber significantly reduced the rates Canadian companies must pay to export to the U.S.

“Going forward, most B.C. companies will pay around 9% on shipments to the U.S., down from the current rate of 20.23%.

“While this reduction in duties will bring much needed relief to our industry, any duties applied to our softwood lumber exports to the U.S. are unjustified.

“This is only one piece in the ongoing softwood lumber dispute and resolving it is our top trade priority. We will fight alongside Canada, on behalf of British Columbians and the communities that rely on the forest sector, as we continue to challenge these unfair tariffs through World Trade Organization and North America Free Trade Agreement appeals processes.”