CBSA Extends Chinese Decorative Plywood Investigations to Aug. 24

The Canada Border Services Agency has extended the preliminary phase of its dumping and subsidy investigations into decorative and other non-structural plywood from China.

The agency will now issue preliminary determinations, or terminate some or all of the investigations, by Aug. 24, 2026. The preliminary phase would normally be completed within 90 days of the investigations’ initiation on April 10.

The CBSA said the deadline was extended to 135 days because of the complexity or novelty of the issues, the number of parties involved and difficulties obtaining satisfactory evidence. The extension was made under subsection 39(1) of the Special Import Measures Act.

The investigations cover decorative and other non-structural plywood originating in or exported from the People’s Republic of China. They are examining allegations that the products are being dumped into Canada or benefiting from subsidies, and that the imports are causing injury to Canadian producers.

Importer responses to the CBSA’s requests for information were due May 1, while exporter and Chinese government responses were due May 19.

Under the revised schedule, the CBSA will release its preliminary decision by Aug. 24 and issue its statement of reasons by Sept. 8.

Should preliminary determinations be made, exporter and importer ruling letters will also become available Aug. 24. The evidentiary record would close Oct. 6, followed by case arguments from participating parties on Oct. 13 and reply submissions on Oct. 20.

Final determinations, or termination of the investigations, would be issued by Nov. 23. The CBSA would release its final statement of reasons on Dec. 8.

The extension gives the agency additional time to assess evidence submitted by importers, exporters, the Chinese government and other interested parties before deciding whether provisional duties or other trade measures are warranted.