All eyes are on Japan and South Korea as British Columbia looks to grow lumber trade in both markets – in response to Trump’s new tariffs and duties on Canadian lumber. It comes as officials from the province, responsible for producing more than 40% of Canada’s lumber exports, on Saturday kickstarted a seven-day trade mission, in what government officials have billed as the province’s largest trade mission to Asia.
“Forestry has always been a cornerstone of British Columbia’s economy, and today, it’s our gateway to new global opportunities,” Ravi Parmar, B.C.’s minister of forests, said. “B.C. is leading this mission at a time when our forestry sector is under attack by Donald J. Trump’s unfair and unjustified tariffs. We’re strengthening B.C.’s forestry sector by opening new markets, forging powerful partnerships, and demonstrating to the world that B.C. produces the highest-quality, most sustainably managed wood products on the planet. My message is clear: We will not be defined by American protectionism.”
Wood Central understands that Parmar and delegates will meet with officials from Japan’s Forestry Agency and Korea’s Land and Housing Research Institute and will visit major manufacturers and processors, including Mitsubishi Estate’s wood panel plant, Xyence’s pressure‑treating facility, and Younglim, South Korea’s largest wood‑product manufacturer and a longtime importer of Canadian lumber. Provincial leaders say the outreach builds on recent moves to establish a permanent presence in other global markets.
“As we embark on this trade mission, our main goal is showcasing B.C.’s high‑quality wood products produced by our talented and diverse workforce,” Rick Doman, chair of Forestry Innovation Investment, said. “This trade mission will help to do just that as we build and expand global partnerships, while also strengthening our forestry sector right here at home.”
The visit underscores a broader provincial strategy to reduce dependence on the United States, which remains the largest destination for Canadian softwood lumber and where recent tariff actions by the U.S. administration have unsettled exporters. Officials portray market diversification as both an economic imperative and a safeguard against unilateral trade measures.
“This trade mission will work to expand that market,” the province said of South Korea, where B.C. exported roughly $239 million in forestry products in 2024. Japan remains the highest-value Asian market for B.C. lumber, with approximately $890 million in provincial exports last year.
First Nations leaders accompanied the delegation and framed the trip as part of a larger shift in the provincial forest economy. “As British Columbia’s forest economy transforms, First Nations are transforming with it,” Lenny Joe, chief executive of the B.C. First Nations Forestry Council said. “Our participation in this mission to Japan and South Korea highlights the pivotal role and value First Nations bring to shaping the future of forestry at home and abroad.”
Industry groups said long‑term market development will require sustained engagement. “Trade missions like this play an important role in strengthening international markets for B.C. forest products,” Kim Haakstad, president and chief executive of the B.C. Council of Forest Industries said. “With more than 50 years of COFI’s presence in Japan, we’ve seen the power of long‑term collaboration between industry, governments, and partners like Canada Wood Group in building strong relationships across Asia. Sustained, multi‑year efforts to deepen our presence in markets like Japan and Korea are essential to the future resilience and competitiveness of Canada’s forest‑products sector.”
The push coincides with public and private efforts to scale production of engineered wood and mass-timber systems, products officials say are well-suited to the rising demand for low-carbon building materials and off-site prefabrication. Last month, Wood Central revealed that the province was opening a new London office – its first in Europe – as part of a push to expand its presence in the European marketplace.
At the time, trade officials argue that the market opportunity in Europe is substantial. The United Kingdom, they say, imports roughly 6 to 7 million cubic metres of softwood lumber annually while producing about 3 to 4 million cubic metres domestically, leaving a structural gap that Canadian exporters could help fill as Britain accelerates policy to increase timber use in construction. “The current trade‑impeding U.S. duties and tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber underscore the importance of reducing reliance on any single market,” Rick Doman said.
Federal and provincial officials stated that they are coordinating measures to support workers, contractors, and communities affected by market shifts. The province has proposed a package of federal support and stated that Ottawa has agreed to take urgent action in the coming weeks, although the specifics of that assistance have not been released.
The mission comes as some European markets tighten their supply and policy changes reduce access to Russian wood, dynamics that Canadian officials say create a window of opportunity for B.C. producers to win new, higher-value contracts in the building and construction sector. “This is an exciting step in expanding trade diversification efforts,” Bruce St. John, president of Canada Wood, said. Brian Hawrysh, chief executive of BC Wood Specialties Group, added that the sector is acutely aware of the need to diversify its international markets.
“We are making it easier for our friends across the pond to buy our world‑class lumber, and we are supporting our forestry sector to get boots on the ground in more growing wood markets around the world,” Parmar said.
