The U.S. Commerce Department has reduced tariffs on Canadian newsprint. Anti-dumping duties against Catalyst Paper have come down to 20.26 per cent, from just over 28.25 per cent.
With the anticipation of anti-dumping duties against Catalyst Paper going up earlier this week, the United States announced a tariff reduction on Canadian newsprint Thursday.
Provincial trade officials braced for duties to rise to rise this week, but tariffs against Catalyst decreased by eight per cent to 20.26 per cent.
Catalyst, with mills in Port Alberni, Crofton and Powell River, faces a dumping rate of 16.88 per cent and a subsidy rate of 3.38 per cent.
The preliminary dumping duty wase 22.16 per cent and another 6.09 per cent for a countervailing rate.
Montreal-based Kruger Inc. will see duties of 9.53 per cent and Resolute, also based in Montreal, will face a tariff of 9.81 per cent.
Other mills in Canada face 8.54 per cent tariffs on groundwood paper shipped to the United States.
Following a complaint from North Pacific Paper Company in Washington, the U.S. Department of Commerce said in March that it calculated a dumping rate of 22.16 per cent for Catalyst Paper.
Paper industry representatives in the United States and members of Congress opposed the tariffs, saying it was a threat to newspapers across the country.
“This was a complicated and unique case,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.
“The department worked hard to address the arguments raised, and I am satisfied that the final determinations appropriately targets bad actors.”
Catalyst Paper’s combined operations in B.C. generate over $2 billion in annual economic activity and are key contributors to the local economies of Vancouver Island, Powell River and Metro Vancouver.
CHEK News
