Canadian Press British Columbia Premier John Horgan speaks in Victoria on June 29, 2017.

VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier John Horgan says Canada and the United States are close to reaching a softwood lumber trade deal that could come as early as next month. Horgan made the comments Thursday during a conference call from Washington, D.C., following two days of meetings with trade officials from President Donald Trump's administration and Canada's ambassador to the U.S. Horgan said talks between Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross are ongoing and it appears they are close to reaching a market-share agreement.

Chris Wattie/Reuters Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland delivers a speech on Canada's foreign policy in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 6, 2017.

"There have been intense negotiations between Mr. Ross and Minister Freeland, and they're very close to an agreement but there are challenges with the representatives on the (U.S. Lumber) Coalition that brought the dispute to a head," Horgan said. The coalition, which represents American lumber producers, filed a petition last November asking the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission to limit Canadian lumber shipments. The group claimed Canada unfairly subsidizes its lumber industry, harming U.S. workers who are experiencing mounting unemployment. Trump team slapped tariffs on Canadian wood Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed tariffs and duties averaging 27 per cent against Canadian softwood producers.