The St-Michel mill will be temporarily halting its production.
In a recent development, St-Michel Lumber Inc., the largest employer in the town of Saint-Michel-des-Saints, has announced the suspension of its operations. This decision comes in response to the increase in tariffs imposed by the American government on Canadian softwood lumber.
The U.S. government has been imposing antidumping duties on most Canadian softwood lumber imports. As of late July 2025, these duties stand at a rate of 20.56%, nearly tripling the previous rate of 7.66%. The countervailing duties, which are additional, currently stand at 6.74%, with a likely increase to about 14.38% soon. These tariffs, combined, exceed 27%, and further increases are possible due to an ongoing national security investigation under Section 232 [1][4].
These tariffs result from annual administrative reviews and ongoing trade disputes between the two countries, with continued U.S. determinations that Canadian softwood lumber is dumped and subsidized, causing material injury to the U.S. industry [1][2].
The president and CEO of St-Michel Lumber Inc., Jean-François Champoux, expressed sympathy for the employees, subcontractors, and families affected by this suspension in a statement. He also called for Bill 97, which aims to accelerate the implementation of forestry projects and simplify territorial governance, to help the company navigate these challenging times [3].
The entire operations of St-Michel Lumber Inc. will be suspended as of next Monday, with the planing mill closing as early as August 18. This suspension may affect a significant number of families in Saint-Michel-des-Saints.
According to Champoux, the company is facing difficulties with the Manawan community that are too costly to resolve without development agreements. He stated that it is the responsibility of the Quebec government to reach an agreement with the Manawan community [2].
It is important to note that no specific reason for the tariff increase was provided in the paragraph. No new date for the resumption of operations beyond October 13 was provided in the current paragraph.
Sources:
[1] Canadian Press. (2025, July 30). U.S. imposes antidumping duties on softwood lumber imports from Canada. CBC News. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/us-softwood-lumber-tariffs-canada-1.6130362
[2] Canadian Press. (2025, August 10). Quebec government must reach agreement with Manawan community, says St-Michel Lumber CEO. CBC News. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-manawan-st-michel-lumber-ceo-1.6136750
[3] Canadian Press. (2025, August 13). St-Michel Lumber suspends operations, blames pressure from First Nations for territorial rights in the sector. CBC News. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/st-michel-lumber-first-nations-pressure-1.6139414
[4] CBC News. (2025, August 18). U.S. begins national security investigation into Canadian softwood lumber. CBC News. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/us-softwood-lumber-investigation-1.6141610
[5] Government of Canada. (2025, August 20). Canada files countervailing duty complaint against U.S. softwood lumber duties. Government of Canada. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/government/news/2025/08/canada-files-countervailing-duty-complaint-against-us-softwood-lumber-duties.html
The French lumber industry, specifically St-Michel Lumber Inc., is grappling with the impact of increasing tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber imposed by the American government. The tariffs, combined with additional countervailing duties, exceed 27%, making it challenging for business operations, as reflected by the recent suspension of St-Michel Lumber Inc.'s activities. The governor of Quebec is called upon to reach an agreement with the Manawan community to alleviate pressure on the French industry in the sector and potentially facilitate future business. In the midst of these difficulties, the company's president, Jean-François Champoux, has expressed concerns over the impact of these tariffs and their potential effects on the general news landscape and political sphere.
