Government Orders Trade Tribunal to Consider Impact of Duty on Economy and Users

Ottawa – October 18, 2016 – On October 13, the federal cabinet issued an Order in Council, recommended by the Minister of Finance, that the Canadian International Trade Tribunal consider whether the imposition of duties “is contrary to Canada’s economic, trade or commercial interests, and specifically whether such an imposition has or would have the effect of substantially reducing competition in those markets or causing significant harm to consumers of those goods or to businesses who use them.”

This measure, to speed up consideration of the public interest, is a very positive (and somewhat unprecedented) move that addresses some of CHBA’s concern about the impact the imposition of such exorbitant duties would have on builders, renovators and drywall contractors who already have fixed-price contracts and sales agreements. CHBA will continue to advocate for a full suspension of the tariff until the full impacts can be reviewed.

Previously, the Tribunal only needed to consider holding a hearing on the public interest after it had made its final determination, sometime next year at the earliest. Now, the Tribunal must report back to the cabinet on market and consumer impacts by Jan. 4, the same day it issues its final determination on the duties.

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