OTTAWA, June 17 (Reuters) - The United States and Canada on Friday reported "significant differences" in talks aimed at solving a dispute over Canadian softwood lumber exports but said the two sides would keep talking.

A 2006 deal to solve an earlier round of arguments expired in October 2015. Both sides agreed to take no action for a year after that, but without a new treaty, U.S. firms would be free to file new damage claims.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Diane Craft)