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B.C. forests minister says Trump tariffs could be 'devastating' to sector

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Jan, 2025 04:03 PM

B.C.'s Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says U.S. softwood lumber duties and president-elect Donald Trump's threatened tariffs could be "devastating" to the province's forestry sector.

He says the province needs to bring a "team B.C. and a team Canada" approach to fighting the duties.

Parmar, speaking in Prince George where the government announced $5.1 million in capital support for the forest sector, says the federal government needs to step up and help the industry get back on its feet in B.C.

Today, @Diana_Gibson_BC and I announced the Government of BC is investing $5.1M from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund towards seven forest-sector capital projects and five planning projects in communities throughout the province. pic.twitter.com/5dAd0P0mtB
— Ravi Parmar (@rparmar_BC) January 15, 2025

The funding announcement, through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, aims to support seven capital projects as well as five planning projects.

B.C.'s timber industry has suffered numerous mill closures in recent years, involving the loss of thousands of jobs.

Jobs Minister Diana Gibson says diversifying the economy is a way of fighting back against the threat of U.S. tariffs by making the province less reliant on north-south trade.

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