U.S. wood construction products costing more because of U.S.-Canada trade dispute

U.S. manufacturers of structural wood products like trusses, joists, glulam, doors and windows, have become a powerful ally with Canada in the softwood lumber trade dispute. An alliance of manufacturers who rely on Canadian softwoods have formed the “U.S. Value-Added Wood Products Alliance” who say 27 per cent duties put on Canadian softwood lumber by the U.S. in May are harming their industry by driving up prices.
A letter signed by 39 companies in the Alliance and sent to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Donald Evans notes that the sawmilling and value-added industries generate three times the sales and wages of the U.S. domestic sawmilling industry. They say the high tariff on the Canadian source material threatens to jeopardize their industry which generates $21 billion a year.