The Canada Wood Group (CWG) and the Council of Forest Industries (COFI), both Vancouver-based, are welcoming Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s March 25 announcement that Canada will enter into free trade negotiations with Japan.
“Japan is a critical customer for the Canadian forest industry and the commercial relationships in place will only be strengthened and further solidified by the passage of a free trade deal,” said CWG president Paul Newman.
“Free trade with Japan will enhance Canada’s competitiveness vis-à-vis other international suppliers and would also put us on an equal footing with the domestic Japanese forest industry.”
John Allan, president and CEO of COFI, expressed similar support for the move.
“Japan has been a major customer for our lumber and panel manufacturers for several decades,” he said.
“The partnership forged with Japanese clients is founded on mutual respect and recognition by both sides that the products Canada produces and systems Japan builds are ideal combinations. A free trade agreement can only strengthen and further solidify this relationship.”
B.C. Jobs Minister Pat Bell has also welcomed the negotiations, stating that a free trade agreement with Japan would mean more jobs for the province, as well as increased exports and investment.
“This could be an ideal free trade agreement as it’s completely complementary,” said Bell. “We produce the products that they don’t and they produce the products that we need.”
Japan is B.C.’s third-largest trading partner. B.C. exports to Japan last year were valued at $4.7 billion.
According to the provincial government, the proposed free trade agreement could increase those exports to between $5.6 billion and $7.5 billion annually.
