B.C.’s forestry downturn runs deeper than tariffs

The downturn in British Columbia’s forest sector is often framed as a consequence of U.S. tariffs. That explanation is convenient, but incomplete. The pressure on the industry has been building for years, and much of it originates at home. Exports tell part of the story. Shipments of softwood lumber from B.C. have been trending downward since the middle of the last decade. By 2024, exports to the United States were already down sharply compared with 2016 levels, well before the latest tariff increases. The additional pressure from U.S. trade measures has reinforced the decline, but ...