The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that as the cross-border trade war escalates, Canada's softwood lumber industry has an advantage on its side that no tariff can completely erase -- its product is objectively better than much of the timber harvested from U.S. forests. The Globe's Brent Jang writes that softwood supplies, especially from British Columbia and Alberta, are widely viewed as more desirable for wood framing because the growth rings are tighter than those found in lumber in the U.S. South. It takes 70 to 100 years before spruce, pine and fir (SPF) trees are considered ripe for harvesting in the B.C. Interior. West Fraser Timber, Canada's largest softwood company, produces SPF lumber at its sawmill in Smithers and other locations. In the milder climate of the U.S. South, the growing season is much faster. It takes about 35 years before southern yellow pine (SYP) trees are harvested. SYP meets building standards and remains a popular choice because of its versatility. Canadian producers enjoy bragging rights for the superiority of SPF, but they do not always emphasize that because the softwood markets of Canada and the U.S. are intertwined, with many U.S. sawmills being owned by Canadian players.