October 14,2025
RED FM News Desk
B.C. Premier David Eby is urging the federal government to step up and support workers whose jobs are being jeopardized by what he calls an “unfair” and “unjustified attack” on Canada’s forestry industry by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump recently announced an additional 10 per cent tariff on softwood lumber, bringing the total duty to 45 per cent. Eby pointed out at a Tuesday news conference that this rate is even higher than what the U.S. applies to lumber imported from Russia.
“It makes no sense, and this move will have serious consequences for Canadians and especially for British Columbians,” Eby said.
The new tariffs, which took effect Tuesday, have left B.C.’s forestry industry “on a knife’s edge,” according to the premier.
Eby compared the tariffs on softwood lumber to those the Trump administration imposed on the auto and steel sectors—industries he described as “foundational” to Ontario’s economy. When those sectors face threats, he said, they’re treated as national crises — “and rightly so.”
“What we’re asking for today is that the same level of urgency, respect, and concern be extended to Canada’s forestry sector,” Eby said.
He noted that forestry contributes more to Canada’s GDP than either the automotive or steel industries, and called for an equally strong federal response.
“We’re asking Ottawa to stand with us—all levels of government—to ensure that the more than $1 billion already committed to the forest sector is deployed quickly,” Eby said. “There’s no time to waste. Jobs and mills are at stake.”
When asked if he believed the federal government would respond with the urgency he’s calling for, Eby admitted he felt some “anxiety,” citing a history of Western Canadian issues being overlooked in favor of those affecting Ontario and Quebec.
He referred to recent comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly about U.S. trade discussions: “When I hear Minister Joly say we’re talking about steel and energy, and forestry isn’t mentioned, that tells me we need to push harder. They still don’t get it,” Eby said.
Eby described the expanded tariffs as an “existential threat” to the forestry industry and stressed the need for both B.C. and Canada to find new markets for lumber exports while supporting affected workers and communities.
At the news conference outside the United Steelworkers District Head Office in Burnaby, Eby was joined by forestry union leaders, industry representatives, and First Nations leaders.
B.C. Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar, USW District 3 Director Scott Lunny, and Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle all emphasized the importance of unity in confronting ongoing U.S. tariff pressures.
“Forty-five per cent is just a number on paper, but behind that number are real people,” Lunny said. “There are paycheques, families, and entire communities depending on this industry.”
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