Lumber Tariffs Could Support 4,000 More Homes

A housing agency said US tariffs could keep more Canadian lumber at home, potentially supporting ~4K extra homes each year through domestic homebuilding.
Its analysis estimated more consistent use of Canadian wood products could lift annual ground-oriented housing starts by ~4%, adding supply where wood-based building is common.
Building costs for those homes could fall by as much as ~17% in some Canadian markets, with savings varying by location and housing type.
Detached homes and townhouses stood to benefit most because they use more wood products than high-rise apartment buildings, improving project economics for builders.
The opportunity could help housing supply and forestry, but lumber prices address only part of builders' challenges, alongside elevated financing, labour, and other barriers.