Solar panels at the construction site of the Canada’s biggest solar farm Travers Solar, near Vulcan, Alberta, November 9, 2021.Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail
Canada and the United States have reached an agreement to remove American tariffs on Canadian-made solar products.
International Trade Minister Mary Ng says the deal reflects the shared commitment to combat climate change and develop renewable energy.
Ng is meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Mexico’s secretary of economy, Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, in Vancouver at the Free Trade Commission Meeting.
The tariffs were imposed by former president Donald Trump in 2018, and the Canadian government has said exports of solar products to the U.S. declined by as much as 82 per cent since then.
In February a dispute resolution panel found that by keeping Canadian exports subject to its so-called “safeguard measures,” the U.S. was in violation of its obligations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Ng also says she will be raising the issue of softwood lumber negotiations during a bilateral meeting with Tai.
“The way forward is to find a solution with the United States,” she said.
Both agreed it’s an important issue, but it’s not clear what that possible solution will look like. Tai reiterated her support for the industry.
“Our priority is ensuring that U.S. softwood lumber producers can compete on a level playing field,” Tai said. “Subsidized lumber and dumped imports undermine their ability to compete fairly.”
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