California builders say few alternatives to Canadian timber exist, amid tariff threat [Video]

California homebuilders say they have few options but to keep buying Canadian lumber, even if it’s hit with 25 per cent tariffs, as they rebuild thousands of homes destroyed by devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

Dan Dunmoyer, president of the California Building Industry Association, said Wednesday that “there aren’t really alternatives” to Canadian lumber used for homebuilding in the state because about 80 per cent of Californian land is owned by the federal or state governments and can’t be logged.

Dunmoyer also said California lacks mills, environmental policies and supply chains that would allow a quick switch to local lumber production, and making those changes would likely take years.

“We are very dependent on Canadian lumber,” he said. “We like Canadian lumber. It’s super high-quality, properly harvested for the environment. It’s really quality material.

“I understand from a president or a prime minister’s perspective, it’s all about jobs. It’s all …