WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The decision to impose new tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber could cause a slight price increase on the product in the United States, Ross said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
"We do not think that the price of lumber will go up by anything like the 20 percent, but there may be some small increase in the price of lumber for the house," Ross stated.
Ross noted the Trump administration had put Canadians on notice three months ago about their inappropriate lumber trade practices.
The commerce secretary underscored that Canada has generally been a "good neighbor."
However, the long-time US-Canada partnership does not mean that Ottawa can avoid complying with trade rules, Ross added.