Actually less lumber is being exported to the U.S. because of the limits placed on exported lumber as a result of the Softwood Lumber deal struck between out countries. Most of the lumber mills that supplied the U.S. market have been shutdown due to the appreciation of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar. The price of Canadian lumber would have to be 40 percent higher today in U.S. dollars than 3 years ago to make the same level of profit. And that doesn't take into consideration import duties or inflation. One Britsh Columbia lumber mill closed down because for every dollar worth of lumber exported to the U.S., it would lose 10 percent. It was no longer viable to keep it going to supply the U.S. market
You're probably better off blaming the U.S. lumber producers for putting over priced 'crooked' lumber on the U.S. market. You are right, the large U.S. home builders wanted to buy straighter, more economical Canadian lumber. Now that the Canadian supply has dried up, they only have the U.S. lumber suppliers to buy at a higher price. If there was truly a free market, as was the intent of the North America Free Trade Agreement, today you would be getting more straight lumber and at a lower price than I would pay in Canada. That's what government interference does to the average consumer. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Stephen Russell > Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 1:06 PM > To: ProFox Email List > Subject: Re: [OT] Recycling (was Re: [NF] Photos: Three low-cost Linux > PCs|TechRepublic Photo Gallery) > <snip> > > I recently purchased some lumber for a renovation project and was > > pleasantly > > surprised at the quality and straightness of the lumber (No 1&2 SPF). > The > > price for the same 2x4 and 2x6 lumber was about 25 percent less than it > > was > > 2-3 years ago. This is Canadian lumber, bought in Canada without any > U.S. > > duties. And there is still a housing boom in Canada. Go figure. > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------------ > > Well finding straight pieces in CA is easy because you are flooding the US > market with crap. I live 6 hrs N of the Gulf coast and the demand that > they > have placed on the local raw materials is much greater then you are aware > of. > > > > > -- > Stephen Russell > Sr. Production Systems Programmer > Mimeo.com > Memphis TN > > 901.246-0159 > > > --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts --- > multipart/alternative > text/plain (text body -- kept) > text/html > --- > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
