TSX: WEF DUNCAN, BC, April 27 /CNW/ - Western Forest Products Inc. (TSX: WEF) advises that several Canadian newspapers have incorrectly reported the amount of softwood lumber countervailing and anti-dumping duty deposits that have been paid by the Company. As disclosed in the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2005 and in its Annual Information Form, both of which have been filed on SEDAR, the Company and its Predecessor have paid US$104.2 million in cash deposits since May 22, 2002. Under the terms of its proposed acquisition of Cascadia Forest Products Ltd., Western is not entitled to any refunds of softwood lumber countervailing and anti-dumping duty deposits attributable to the period prior to the closing date. Western Forest Products Western is an integrated Canadian forest products company and currently the second largest coastal woodland operator in British Columbia. Principal activities conducted by Western and its subsidiaries include timber harvesting, reforestation, sawmilling logs into lumber and wood chips, and value-added remanufacturing. Over 95% of Western's logging is conducted on government owned timberlands in British Columbia. All of Western's operations, employees and corporate facilities are located in the coastal region of British Columbia and its products are sold in over 20 countries worldwide. Following the acquisition of Cascadia Forest Products Ltd., which is expected to close before May 10, 2006, Western expects to be the largest Coastal woodland operator and lumber producer with an AAC of approximately 7.7 million cubic meters and lumber capacity in excess of 1.5 billion board feet. The Company exited the softwood pulp business with the closure of the Squamish pulp mill on March 9, 2006. Forward Looking Statements and Information This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward- looking information within the meaning of applicable securities law. Those statements and information would include statements or information regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Western, primarily with respect to market and general economic conditions, future costs, expenditures, available harvest levels and future operating performance of Western. Such statements or information may be indicated by words such as "estimate", "expect", "anticipate", "plan", "intend", "believe", "will", "should", "may" and similar words and phrases. Readers are cautioned that any such forward- looking statements or information are not guarantees and may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements or information as a result of various factors, including general economic and business conditions, product selling prices, raw material and operating costs, changes in foreign- currency exchange rates, changes in government regulation, fluctuations in demand and supply for Western's products, industry production levels, the ability of Western to execute its business plan and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking statements or information. The information contained under the "Risk Factors" section of Western's Annual Information Form and under the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of Western's Management's Discussion and Analysis identifies important factors that could cause such differences. All written and oral forward-looking statements or information attributable to Western or persons acting on behalf of Western are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. Western does not expect to update forward-looking statements or information as conditions change.