Lumber production in Canada fell significantly in December 2025, reflecting a slowdown in sawmill activity toward the end of the year.
Total lumber output reached 2.91 million m³, a 21.0% decline compared with November and 12.8% lower than in December 2024. The decrease was mainly driven by lower softwood production.
Softwood output totalled 2.85 million m³, while hardwood production amounted to 52,700 m³.
Shipments also declined during the month. Canadian sawmills shipped 2.99 million m³ of lumber in December, down 14.2% from November and 5.9% below December 2024 levels.
Despite the drop in production and shipments, lumber stocks remained relatively stable at 6.31 million m³ at the end of December, slightly below the 6.51 million m³ recorded in November.
Canadian lumber production, shipments and stocks (August–December 2025)
| Category | Aug 2025 | Sep 2025 | Oct 2025 | Nov 2025 | Dec 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total softwood and hardwood production | 3,757.9 | 3,844.9 | 3,979.8 | 3,675.3 | 2,905.2 |
| Hardwood production | 64.0 | 72.4 | 75.1 | 63.6 | 52.7 |
| Softwood production | 3,694.0 | 3,772.5 | 3,904.7 | 3,611.6 | 2,852.5 |
| Spruce, pine and fir production | 3,283.9 | 3,427.9 | 3,489.4 | 3,228.7 | 2,541.6 |
| Douglas fir and western larch production | 223.5 | 140.5 | 127.4 | 161.5 | 121.9 |
| Hemlock fir production | 83.7 | x | 158.0 | 91.6 | 98.6 |
| Western red cedar production | 66.9 | 52.1 | 97.8 | 95.4 | 63.1 |
| Other softwood production | 36.0 | x | 32.1 | 34.5 | 27.3 |
| Softwood excluding SPF production | 410.1 | 344.6 | 415.3 | 383.0 | 310.9 |
| Total shipments | 3,509.4 | 4,015.7 | 4,026.4 | 3,492.0 | 2,996.7 |
| Hardwood shipments | 59.1 | 65.7 | 68.6 | 57.1 | 46.7 |
| Softwood shipments | 3,450.3 | 3,950.0 | 3,957.8 | 3,434.9 | 2,950.0 |
| Spruce, pine and fir shipments | 3,078.7 | 3,529.8 | 3,541.4 | 3,097.6 | 2,570.7 |
| Douglas fir and western larch shipments | 192.0 | 197.9 | 199.8 | 110.9 | 160.8 |
| Hemlock fir shipments | x | x | x | 118.9 | x |
| Western red cedar shipments | 76.5 | x | x | 69.7 | 71.2 |
| Other softwood shipments | x | x | x | 37.8 | x |
| Softwood excluding SPF shipments | 371.7 | 420.2 | 416.4 | 337.3 | 379.3 |
| Total stocks | 6,620.2 | 6,435.8 | 6,363.3 | 6,507.4 | 6,314.9 |
| Hardwood stocks | 170.1 | 181.6 | 187.3 | 187.1 | 194.1 |
| Softwood stocks | 6,450.2 | 6,254.2 | 6,176.0 | 6,320.3 | 6,120.8 |
| Spruce, pine and fir stocks | 5,536.2 | 5,439.4 | 5,352.9 | 5,448.5 | 5,302.9 |
| Douglas fir and western larch stocks | 359.4 | 278.8 | 225.1 | 277.6 | 244.3 |
| Hemlock fir stocks | 182.1 | 159.7 | 203.6 | 178.4 | x |
| Western red cedar stocks | 193.5 | 186.4 | 226.7 | 256.1 | 239.6 |
| Other softwood stocks | 178.9 | 190.0 | 167.8 | 159.7 | x |
| Softwood excluding SPF stocks | 913.9 | 814.8 | 823.1 | 871.8 | 817.9 |