Commitments and Contingencies | Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies Legal matters We become involved in various legal proceedings, claims and governmental inquiries, investigations, and other disputes in the normal course of business, including matters related to contracts, commercial and trade disputes, taxes, environmental issues, activist damages, employment and workers’ compensation claims, grievances, human rights complaints, pension and benefit plans and obligations, health and safety, product safety and liability, asbestos exposure, financial reporting and disclosure obligations, corporate governance, Indigenous peoples’ claims, antitrust, governmental regulations, and other matters. Although the final outcome is subject to many variables and cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty, we regularly assess the status of the matters and establish provisions (including legal costs expected to be incurred) when we believe an adverse outcome is probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Any recovery from litigation or settlement of claims that is a gain contingency is recognized if, and when, realized or realizable. Except as described below and for claims that cannot be assessed due to their preliminary nature, we believe that the ultimate disposition of these matters outstanding or pending as of September 30, 2022, will not have a material adverse effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Asbestos-related lawsuits We are involved in a number of asbestos-related lawsuits filed primarily in U.S. state courts, including certain cases involving multiple defendants. These lawsuits principally allege direct or indirect personal injury or death resulting from exposure to asbestos-containing premises. While we dispute the plaintiffs’ allegations and intend to vigorously defend these claims, the ultimate resolution of these matters cannot be determined at this time. These lawsuits frequently involve claims for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, and we are unable to reasonably estimate a range of possible losses, which may not be covered in whole or in part by our insurance coverage. However, unfavorable rulings, judgments or settlement terms could materially impact our Consolidated Financial Statements. Hearings for certain of these matters are scheduled to occur in the next twelve months. Countervailing duty and anti-dumping investigations on softwood lumber On November 25, 2016, countervailing duty and anti-dumping petitions were filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce (or, “ Commerce ”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (or, “ ITC ”) by certain U.S. softwood lumber products producers and forest landowners, requesting that the U.S. government impose countervailing and anti-dumping duties on Canadian-origin softwood lumber products exported to the U.S. One of our subsidiaries was identified in the petitions as being a Canadian exporting producer of softwood lumber products to the U.S. and was selected as a mandatory respondent to be investigated by Commerce in both the countervailing duty and anti-dumping investigations. Countervailing Duties – On April 24, 2017, Commerce announced its preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigation; as a result, from April 28, 2017 to August 25, 2017, we were required to pay cash deposits to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency (or, “ U.S. Customs ”) at a rate of 12.82% for countervailing duties on the vast majority of our U.S. imports of Canadian-produced softwood lumber. On November 2, 2017, Commerce issued its final determination in the countervailing investigation; as a result, from December 28, 2017 to November 30, 2020, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a new rate of 14.70%. On November 23, 2020, Commerce issued its final determination in the first administrative review of the countervailing investigation; as a result, from December 1, 2020 to December 1, 2021, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a rate of 19.10%. On November 24, 2021, Commerce issued its final determination in the second administrative review of the countervailing investigation; as a result, from December 2, 2021, to August 8, 2022, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a rate of 18.07%. Commerce issued its final determination dated August 3, 2022, in the third administrative review of the countervailing investigation; as a result, since August 9, 2022, we have been required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a new rate of 10.10%. Through September 30, 2022, our cash deposits totaled $424 million. Anti-dumping Duties – On June 26, 2017, Commerce announced its preliminary determination in the anti-dumping investigation; as a result, from June 30, 2017 to November 7, 2017, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a rate of 4.59% for anti-dumping duties on the vast majority of our U.S. imports of Canadian-produced softwood lumber. On November 2, 2017, Commerce issued its final determination in the anti-dumping investigation; as a result, from November 8, 2017 to November 29, 2020, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a new rate of 3.20%. On November 23, 2020, Commerce issued its final determination in the first administrative review of the anti-dumping investigation; as a result, from November 30, 2020 to December 1, 2021, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a rate of 1.15%. On November 24, 2021, Commerce issued its final determination in the second administrative review of the anti-dumping investigation; as a result, from December 2, 2021, to August 8, 2022, we were required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a rate of 11.59%. Commerce issued its final determination dated August 3, 2022, in the third administrative review of the anti-dumping investigation; as a result, since August 9, 2022, we have been required to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs at a new rate of 4.76%. Through September 30, 2022, our cash deposits totaled $111 million. Ongoing Administrative Reviews – Following Commerce’s completion of the Canadian softwood lumber investigation and the first, second, and third administrative reviews, the fourth administrative review remains pending. On March 9, 2022, Commerce published a notice initiating the fourth administrative review of the countervailing duty and anti-dumping orders on softwood lumber products from Canada. According to a decision published by Commerce on April 27 and 29, 2022, we were not selected as a mandatory respondent for the fourth administrative reviews of the countervailing duty order and anti-dumping order, respectively. Ongoing Appellate Reviews – On December 14, 2017 and January 4, 2018, we filed complaints supporting appellate reviews of the final results of Commerce’s countervailing and anti-dumping investigations on softwood lumber from Canada, respectively, before a binational panel formed pursuant to the North American Free Trade Agreement or United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as the case may be (or, “ Panel ”). Briefing for these appeals has been completed, and scheduling of the hearings remains pending. The full formation of the anti-dumping Panel was announced on October 17, 2022, and that of the countervailing Panel was announced on November 1, 2022. Further, on January 6, 2021 and January 19, 2021, we filed our complaints supporting appellate Panel reviews of the final results in the countervailing and anti-dumping first administrative reviews. We filed similar complaints with respect to the second administrative reviews on January 12, 2022, and with respect to the third administrative reviews on September 16, 2022. ITC Injury Determination – In parallel, on December 28, 2017, the ITC published its affirmative final injury determinations in the anti-dumping and countervailing investigations on softwood lumber from Canada. On September 4, 2019, a Panel issued an interim decision upholding the affirmative final injury determinations of the ITC in both investigations of softwood lumber products from Canada. The Panel remanded the ITC to reconsider several findings and ordered the ITC to submit its redetermination on remand within 90 days from the date of the Panel interim decision. On December 19, 2019, the ITC issued its redetermination on remand that maintained the affirmative final injury determinations, and on May 22, 2020, the Panel issued its final decision and affirmed in its entirety the ITC’s injury determination on remand. WTO Appeal – In addition, on August 24, 2020, the World Trade Organization’s (or, “ WTO ”) dispute panel issued a report (or, the “ Panel Report ”) in the case brought by the government of Canada in “United States — Countervailing Measures on Softwood Lumber from Canada” (DS533), concluding, among other things, that Commerce acted inconsistently with the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures on most of the matters. On September 28, 2020, the United States notified the WTO’s dispute settlement body of its decision to appeal the Panel Report. Financial assurance – We are required by U.S. Customs to provide surety bonds to secure the payment of our cash deposits. As of September 30, 2022, we had unpaid deposits of $8 million related to products exported to the U.S. up to the end of the quarter since our last payment, and we had $101 million of surety bonds outstanding in favor of U.S. Customs, of which $62 million were secured by letters of credit. See Note 10, “Long-Term Debt – ABL Credit Facility” for more information. We are not presently able to determine the ultimate resolution of these matters, but we believe it is not probable that we will ultimately be assessed with significant duties, if any, on our U.S. imports of Canadian-produced softwood lumber products. Accordingly, no contingent loss was recorded in respect of these petitions in our Consolidated Statements of Operations, and our cash deposits are recorded in “Other assets” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Fibrek acquisition Effective July 31, 2012, we completed the final step of the transaction pursuant to which we acquired the remaining 25.40% of the outstanding Fibrek Inc. shares, following the approval of Fibrek’s shareholders on July 23, 2012, and the issuance of a final order by the Quebec Superior Court in Canada (or, the “ Quebec Superior Court ”) approving the arrangement on July 27, 2012. Certain former shareholders of Fibrek exercised rights of dissent in respect of the transaction, asking for a judicial determination of the fair value of their claim under the Canada Business Corporations Act . On September 26, 2019, the Quebec Superior Court rendered a decision fixing the fair value of the shares of the dissenting shareholders at C$1.99 per share, or C$31 million in aggregate, plus interest and an additional indemnity, for a total estimated at C$44 million payable in cash. We had previously accrued C$14 million for the payment of the dissenting shareholders’ claims. Following the court decision, we accrued an additional C$30 million ($23 million), and as a result recorded $23 million in “Other expense, net” in our Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended on December 31, 2019. Of the total amount of C$44 million, C$19 million ($14 million) was payable immediately and paid on October 2, 2019. The remaining balances of C$28 million ($20 million) and C$27 million ($21 million) as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, which include accrued interest, are recorded in “Accounts payable and other” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We are appealing the decision, therefore the payment of any additional consideration and its timing will depend on the outcome of the appeal. On November 13, 2019, a legal hypothec in the amount of C$30 million was registered on our Saint-Félicien (Quebec) immovable and movable property to secure the payment of any additional amounts following the outcome of the appeal. The hearing in this matter is scheduled to occur in 2022. Partial wind-ups of pension plans On June 12, 2012, we filed a motion for directives with the Quebec Superior Court, the court with jurisdiction in the creditor protection proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (or, the “ CCAA Creditor Protection Proceedings ”), seeking an order to prevent pension regulators in each of Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador from declaring partial wind-ups of pension plans relating to employees of former operations in New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, or a declaration that any claim for accelerated reimbursements of deficits arising from a partial wind-up is a barred claim under the CCAA Creditor Protection Proceedings. We contend, among other things, that any such declaration, if issued, would be inconsistent with the Quebec Superior Court’s sanction order confirming the CCAA debtors’ CCAA Plan of Reorganization and Compromise , as amended, and the terms of our emergence from the CCAA Creditor Protection Proceedings. A partial wind-up would likely shorten the period in which any deficit within those plans, which could reach up to C$150 million ($108 million), would have to be funded if we do not obtain the relief sought. The hearing in this matter has not yet been scheduled but could occur in the next 12 months. Contingent gain In 2016, we filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace International, Greenpeace Inc. and certain individuals related to loss of business following false allegations concerning the impact of our harvesting operations in certain regions in Quebec. The claims alleged certain damages resulting from defamation and unfair competition. The total amount for damages claimed is substantial but the amount and timing of the ultimate recovery, if any, is uncertain. As a result, any recovery from this litigation or settlement of this claim is a contingent gain and will be recognized if, and when, realized or realizable. Environmental matters We are subject to a number of federal or national, state, provincial, and local environmental laws, regulations, and orders in various jurisdictions. We believe our operations are in material compliance with current applicable environmental laws and regulations. Environmental regulations promulgated and orders issued in the future could require substantial additional expenditures for compliance and could have a material impact on us, in particular, and the industry in general. We have environmental liabilities of $16 million and $13 million recorded as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, primarily related to environmental remediation related to closed sites. The amount of these liabilities represents management’s estimate of the ultimate settlement based on an assessment of relevant factors and assumptions and could be affected by changes in facts or assumptions not currently known to management for which the outcome cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. We also have asset retirement obligations of $36 million recorded as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, primarily consisting of liabilities associated with landfills, sludge basins and the dismantling of retired assets. These liabilities are included in “Accounts payable and other” and “Other liabilities” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. |