EDMONTON, AB: Wildrose Leader Brian Jean and Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA Tany Yao released a joint letter and statement about unfair trade practices that could lead to massive increases in drywall costs and slow down the recovery in Fort McMurray:
“While the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has a legitimate role in protecting Canadian industry from unfair trade practices, its recent decision to effectively close western Canada to imported drywall will have a significant impact on more than 1,000 Fort McMurray families looking to rebuild in the next year.
“The new tariff will lead to a massive increase in drywall costs that could result in a major issue for many Fort McMurray families who lost their homes to the fire and who are already concerned that they may have insufficient insurance coverage to rebuild.
“The federal government should use its authority under the Special Import Measures Act to exempt drywall coming into the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo from the new tariff. This is a way for the federal government to provide specific targeted assistance to those most impacted by the devastating fire.”