As tariffs create uncertainty for Canadian manufacturers, the Wood Manufacturing Council of Ontario (WMCO) is helping members navigate trade challenges through legal advice, funding support and government advocacy.
CEO Mike Baker said WMCO is focused on connecting companies with practical resources while pushing for greater recognition of the value-added wood-manufacturing sector.
Building a collective voice in Ottawa
WMCO has joined with the Wood Manufacturing Council, the Canadian Hardwood Bureau, AWMAC and AFMO in urging federal and provincial governments to recognize value-added wood manufacturing as a strategic industry.
In a letter to the prime minister, premiers and provincial governments, the organizations are calling for targeted trade negotiations, tariff relief, bridge financing, tax measures and funding to help companies diversify export markets.
The letter urges the Canadian Government to treat the value-added wood products industry— including furniture, cabinetry, closets and millwork—as a distinct priority in the current tariff dispute with the United States.
The sector supports approximately 100,000 Canadian jobs and generates $10–12 billion in economic activity nationally. Many businesses, including small and family-owned manufacturers, rely heavily on the U.S. market and face mounting pressure from tariffs.
Baker said value-added manufacturers often receive less policy attention than primary forest products producers.
“The primary industry gets all the love,” he said.
The coalition is seeking recognition for the sector alongside industries such as automotive, aerospace and steel, highlighting its contributions to employment, exports and Canada's manufacturing capacity.
Connecting members with expertise and funding
WMCO is also helping members understand their options through access to trade-law expertise and opportunities to share information. The council recently hosted a tariff lawyer to answer members' questions about the changing trade environment.
The organization has also partnered with Belmont Advisory, a grant-writing and government-funding firm, to help companies identify programs suited to their needs, including federal liquidity and pivot funding programs.
Baker said several companies have already begun applying for support through the partnership.
“Every company’s different,” he said, explaining that the service matches businesses with programs based on their products, circumstances and challenges.
Supporting housing and manufacturing
Baker notes that cabinetmakers, millworkers and other wood manufacturers are also part of Canada's housing supply chain, supplying products for residential construction and renovation. Rising costs can therefore affect not only manufacturers but also the availability and affordability of construction products.
Strength through collaboration
WMCO's partnerships allow organizations representing different parts of the wood industry to coordinate advocacy and address shared concerns about tariffs, funding and competitiveness.
“We create a collective voice,” Baker said.
As manufacturers face continued economic uncertainty, WMCO is positioning itself as both an industry advocate and a practical resource, connecting members with legal and funding expertise while helping them navigate difficult business decisions.
For members, Baker said, that support delivers significant value.
“It’s a value-add,” he said. “Big time.”
CKCA advocacy efforts are continuing
The Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association (CKCA) has been working on the issue of imports entering Canada at below fair market value for more than three years and when the U.S. tariffs were announced a year ago, citing Canada as a source of trans-shipment of cheap imports, the organization quickly ramped up its effort to have the government recognize that to deal with U.S. tariffs it needed to look at the imports that were already undermining the domestic industry. A Government Relations firm was brought in to develop an advocacy plan and for the past year that plan has been in action with press releases, media interviews and communicating and meeting with Government officials.
When the government acted to deal with those imports, CKCA has applauded the government’s imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on imports of kitchen cabinets and vanities and has hailed the move as “an important first step” in addressing unfair trade practices that are undermining Canadian wood manufacturers.
Sandra Wood, CKCA secretary and executive director, says the organization has taken a multi-pronged approach focusing on Canadian procurement policies, tariff relief, foreign imports and CUSMA negotiations because all these issues are interconnected.
“In June CKCA was invited to present to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade. All the while participating in the Canadian Wood Products Alliance that is pushing forward on a provisional Safeguard, that protects an industry under threat from imports.
“CKCA members also testified last week at the Canadian International Trade Tribunal. And at CKCA's National Forum in Quebec last week, three members who have championed efforts to get the 25% provisional tariffs on imports, spoke to members and emphasized the importance of continuing this work.
“We are only at the beginning of a long journey and industry needs to support it. CKCA is currently fundraising, but it's going to take the entire industry to step forward. You can help by joining CKCA and go to CKCA.ca/contribute.
“Every cabinet shop in Canada should be a member of CKCA,” Wood says. “This is a long game.”
