Canada Cut Lumber Exports 24% — Now America Is Missing 4.5 Million Homes

Canada's lumber exports to America dropped 24%, and the US housing shortage just hit 4.5 million homes — is this the crisis breaking American homeownership for good? In this Capital Alert breakdown, we go deep into the real numbers: how combined lumber tariffs reached 45.16%, why NAHB confirmed a $10,900 cost increase on every new home, and why 22 Canadian sawmills have permanently closed since 2022. We unpack the 44-year softwood lumber trade dispute, the Section 232 national security tariff, Canfor and West Fraser's mill closures, and why replacing Canadian supply would require 75 new American sawmills. We also cover Ottawa's $2.35 billion emergency forestry package and what the August 2026 Commerce Department ruling could mean for housing affordability. If you want to understand how trade policy is directly raising your mortgage, rent, and grocery costs, this is the breakdown you need right now. Subscribe to Capital Alert. #LumberTariffs #HousingCrisis #CanadaUS #TradeWar #CapitalAlert #HomePrices #RealEstate #Tariffs2026 #HousingAffordability #economy