THUNDER BAY — Softwood lumber tariff increases would present a challenge for Ontario's forestry industry, but Thunder Bay–Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland said he's ready to meet that challenge.
On the campaign trail, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump promised to crack down on foreign trade by imposing higher tariffs on softwood lumber and other exported products from Canada.
"We knew before the election was held that both parties had pretty strong opinions with regards to tariff, particularly on, on lumber coming from Canada," said Holland, the province's associate minister of forestry and forest products. "How we approach that change depended on who won the election.”
“So now we know who it is that we're working with, Ontario will have a role in meeting with our partners across Canada and the Federal government in developing that strategy as to how we can really impress upon them the importance of the forestry sector, not just to us but to their to their country as well,” Holland continued.
He said that to meet their housing targets the United States of America will need to buy wood and a third of that wood will come from Canada, so it’s a matter of figuring out “how can we negotiate with regards to the tariffs in related to what their actual needs are.”
Holland made the comments to the local business community at a Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce event on Wednesday.
He said his new role as the associate minister gives him an opportunity to show that Northwestern Ontario is an economic competitor on the global stage.
“Forestry has been the cornerstone of our economy for generations and I honestly believe that it's going to be the cornerstone of our economy moving forward. How we can incorporate and work the synergies between the mining boom that we're expecting here and the forestry is one area that we can capitalize on,” Holland said.
“But it's really about making sure that the industry is in a position to have that sustainability moving forward and that viability. We all know that there are some challenges in the forestry sector right now. But with every challenge comes an opportunity and I feel quite good about coming into the sector at this point,” he added.
Chamber of commerce president Charla Robinson said having Holland as keynote speaker at the leaders luncheon was an opportunity for the business community to hear about the minister's advocacy for the region in Queen’s Park.
“He’s very much tuned into what's happening and very responsive to hearing from the local community about what we want and what we need versus bringing a Queen's Park approach and trying to bring that to Thunder Bay. He looks at it from a grassroots approach and I think that serves us very well,” said Robinson.
Since taking on his new role, Holland said he's been focused on advocating for Northwestern Ontario's economic stability.
Holland was active in pushing his government to approve a five-year contract between Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) that secured employment for the Atikokan Generating Station.
“I am pleased to report that between June 2022 up to the end of October 2024, $550 million has been invested in the riding of Thunder Bay- Atikokan,” Holland told Newswatch.
“I really believe that, with all due respect, the government's role should be about working to create the environment for people and businesses to be successful. I believe we achieve that by talking and listening to each other and collaborating to bring people together,” Holland said during his presentation.
“My campaign in 2022 was summed up in the following statement: we need a strong economy to support healthy communities, but we need healthy communities to have a strong economy. This isn't a chicken or an egg debate,” he said.
Since taking office, said Holland, he has brought 100 southern Ontario ministers to Thunder Bay and around the region to show them where the majority of Ontario’s natural resources lie, but moreover, he showed them where the challenges of the north also lie.
“I have had the opportunity to have ministers visit. I have taken that opportunity to bring them to the agencies, hospitals, industry, and small businesses to experience what I have had the privilege of experiencing since, since my election. And that is seeing firsthand the passion and the pride that exists in our community,” Holland said.
