A local forestry company official says he hopes the latest softwood lumber ruling is the final chapter in the softwood lumber dispute.

On Friday, a Nafta panel essentially eliminated most of the punitive duties levied against Canadian lumber exports. Buchanan vice president Hartley Multamaki says its time the Americans send back the five billion dollars they've collected in inappropriate duties. And he says after years of paying high tariffs, they want the current duty reduced to zero

Multamaki says the Federal government also needs to come through with its aid package, promised last November. It provided $1.5 billion including $800 million in loan guarantees for firms which have paid duties on softwood lumber exports to the U.S.

So far, none of the promised federal money has been delivered.