Duties on Canadian Softwood Lumber Rise Sharply to Surpass 30%

An antidumping review determined weighted‑average dumping margins of 35.53% for Canfor, 9.65% for West Fraser, and 20.56% for non‑selected companies.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has published a Federal Register notice with the final results of its 2023 administrative review of antidumping duties on certain Canadian softwood lumber.

According to the Notice, the new antidumping duty rate for most Canadian softwood lumber imports is now set at 20.56%, except for company-specific rates.

This represents a significant increase from the previous rate of 7.66% and comes in addition to the existing 6.74% countervailing duty, bringing the total duties on Canadian softwood lumber to over 30%.

Company-specific antidumping duty rates are 35.53% for Canfor Corporation and its affiliates, and 9.65% for West Fraser and its affiliates.

The review found that Canadian producers and exporters subject to this review sold softwood lumber in the United States at less than normal value during the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023.

More details are available in the related Issues and Decision Memorandum, accessible electronically through the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Services System (ACCESS).  

Regarding the administrative review of the countervailing duty order for the calendar year 2023, Commerce is scheduled to announce its final decision on August 8, 2025. 

Scope of the antidumping duty review

The review covered 261 Canadian producers and exporters of softwood lumber.

Two mandatory respondents were examined in detail. These are Canfor Corporation and its affiliates, as well as West Fraser and its affiliates.

Other companies were also reviewed, as listed in Appendix II of the Notice, and the Department rescinded the review for 53 companies, as identified in Appendix III.

Final dumping margins

Based on the review, Commerce has assigned the following weighted‑average dumping margins for the 2023 period of review (POR):

• Canfor Corporation and affiliates: 35.53%
• West Fraser and affiliates: 9.65%
• Non-selected companies: 20.56%

Cash deposit requirements for future shipments

Commerce has set the following cash deposit requirements for all future imports of Canadian softwood lumber.

These requirements take effect on the date of publication of the final results in the Federal Register and will remain in place until further notice:

• Companies under this review: The cash deposit rate will equal the weighted‑average dumping margin listed in the final results of the review.
• Companies not covered in this review but covered in a previously completed segment of this proceeding: The cash deposit rate will remain the most recent company-specific rate published.
• Exporter not covered in the review, but producer is: The cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the producer in the final results or the most recent review.
• Neither exporter nor producer covered: The cash deposit rate will remain 6.04% ad valorem, which is the all‑others rate set in the original less than fair value investigation.

How Cole International can help

At Cole International, we offer trade consulting services to help businesses navigate changing regulations and policies.

Our customs brokerage services also enable the smooth movement of goods across borders and ensure full compliance with customs regulations.

Please reach out to one of our trade professionals to discuss the impact of this antidumping duty review on your business and how to mitigate its risks.