Eby says softwood lumber a key focus of productive meeting with Carney [Video]

Softwood lumber, a national transportation corridor, affordable housing and speeding up big projects were among the topics of a “productive” meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, B.C. Premier David Eby says.

The pair met Monday in Victoria, days after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced plans to more than double U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber to 34.5 per cent.

Eby said the conversation touched on using more B.C. mass timber to build housing as a response.

“At a time when Canadian forestry exports are facing an escalation in an ongoing trade war, we welcome an opportunity to meet the growing domestic and international demand for value-added wood products,” Eby said in a statement.

“The American president’s renewed assault on our forestry sector needs the same Team Canada response as the manufacturing and auto industry jobs in Ontario and Quebec. The prime minister confirmed his understanding of the seriousness of …