The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, Aug. 6, edition that Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $1.2-billion financial support package for Canada's softwood lumber producers to address U.S. trade duties. The Globe's Jeffrey Jones writes that the package includes $700-million in loan guarantees for forestry companies to restructure and reduce dependence on U.S. exports, along with $500-million in grants to diversify markets and develop new products like reinforced timber and low-carbon insulation for prefabricated housing. The government will prioritize Canadian lumber to boost housing construction, aiming to double the rate to 500,000 new homes per year by 2025, Mr. Carney said. Such an increase will double the use of Canadian softwood lumber in new homes to nearly two billion board feet a year while also doubling demand for structural panels. As it stands, almost 90 per cent of Canadian lumber exports go to the U.S., where President Donald Trump has raised duties on those shipments in the latest salvo in a softwood skirmish that threatens financial hardship for domestic producers. The funding will support indigenous-led business development, a priority for enhancing Canada's economic self-sufficiency.