As Canadian and American trade negotiators prepared to resume talks to resolve the North American softwood lumber dispute, Timmins Mayor Jamie Lim, chairwoman of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) lumber taskforce, is calling for unrestricted access to U.S. markets.
FCM directors were scheduled to meet in early September to discuss further steps in lobbying the federal government for a long-term solution to the issue.
Negotiators have not met since last spring when the U.S. slapped punishing duties, averaging 27 per cent, on Canada's annual $10-billion softwood export industry.
Lim wants a long-term solution for the Canadian forest industry to allow companies to make capital commitments to their mills.
