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Trade tribunal opens preliminary inquiry after Hearst plywood company alleges injury from imports from China

Justin Barber

Apr 14, 2026 — 1 min read

A federal trade tribunal has opened a preliminary injury inquiry after Columbia Forest Products in Hearst and the Canadian Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association alleged they have been harmed by the dumping and subsidizing of decorative and other non-structural plywood imported from China.

The inquiry sets key dates in a process that runs alongside an investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) into the same plywood products, and could affect businesses that make, sell, or buy these materials.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal initiated the case under the Special Import Measures Act after the CBSA began dumping and subsidizing investigations.

The tribunal is scheduled to decide on June 9, 2026, whether there is a “reasonable indication” that the alleged dumping and subsidizing have caused injury or “retardation,” or are threatening to cause injury, as those terms are defined in the act.

If the tribunal finds a reasonable indication, the CBSA will continue its investigations and is to make preliminary determinations by July 9, 2026.

If those preliminary determinations indicate there has been dumping or subsidizing, the CBSA will continue its investigations and the tribunal will begin a final injury inquiry at the same time.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the federal minister of finance. It hears cases involving dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, federal government procurement complaints, and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings.

The tribunal’s file number for the case is PI-2026-001.

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