Tim Bryson, the owner of two lumber-related businesses in Strong Township, where he is the mayor, says there may be a tariff pause on Canadian goods entering the United States for now, but he’s still feeling their impact.
Bryson owns Tim Bryson Forestry and Homestead Sawmill and says tariffs would affect both his businesses.
He adds although tariffs haven’t gone into effect, the possibility that they could become reality is affecting his operations. Bryson doesn’t export directly to the United States, but the businesses that buy his logs and lumber do.
“We sell lots of logs to sawmills and they sell that lumber to the U.S.,” Bryson said. He says many of these sawmills are in Ontario.
Bryson says “fear and confidence” drive markets. Bryson says whenever “people think there’s a threat, they keep their inventory low to play it safe for what might happen. And right now, there’s a lot of fear,” he said.
Bryson says his sawmill customers are worried enough that they’re not accepting as many logs from him.
And he’s also feeling the impact of the forestry side of his business.
Normally, many of the trees Bryson cuts make their way to Quebec sawmills.
The usual course of events is that Quebec transport rigs would take logs to Toronto or other Ontario points and then, on the way back, load up with logs destined for their province. This way, the rigs are never empty, making efficient use of the vehicles and time.
“The problem is there aren’t as many trucks coming to Ontario from Quebec because of a slowing economy and the fear of tariffs,” Bryson said.
“On top of that, we also have a temporary shortage of trucks. There’s a scramble right now with lots of trucks going into the U.S. to get whatever products they can get in there before tariffs take effect.”
Bryson employs 10 people and has another 35 contractors on payroll during the winter. He says he hasn’t had to lay anyone off because he’s still able to make some sales.
“All the markets are very sensitive right now,” he said. “It’s certainly not a sellers’ market and some markets are flat, like the demand for spruce and white pine. We’re not profitable, but we are just getting by.”
For Bryson, the situation is serious enough that he sent all his employees a letter stating that because of the tariffs, “We are in for a most turbulent economy in recent memory, perhaps in living memory.”
But Bryson says that’s not to conclude “we should lose hope” because he believes his company remains well positioned “to make it through what will inevitably be very difficult times.”
Bryson feels the threat of tariffs should serve as an eye-opener to Canadians.
For example, with the abundance of trees in Canada, he questions why there remains a housing shortage and also a lack of affordable housing. “There’s no reason why we can’t have a housing boom,” he said.
Bryson believes a starting point to get more housing underway is to reduce regulations while keeping environmental concerns in mind.
“For people who oppose development, we can make concessions where possible,” Bryson said. “But we can only do so much on concessions because we need housing.”
Bryson says the last time the Village of Sundridge saw a new subdivision was nearly 50 years ago.
“We have so much land and development doesn’t pose a threat in Almaguin,” he said.
As for the tariffs issue, in his letter, Bryson asked his employees if fear would be the divider or if bravery unites them. Bryson asks if we are going to allow ourselves to be victims or soldiers.
For Bryson, the answer is to be soldiers and not “let the empty part of the glass rule us.”
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Almaguin News. LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.