B.C. ends time changes: Province switching to permanent daylight time
A 2019 public consultation found 93 per cent of B.C. respondents were in favour of ending the time change.
Speaking with reporters Monday, B.C. Premier David Eby said the province is permanently adopting daylight time, starting Sunday, March 8.
This means Sunday will be the last time British Columbians will have to “spring forward,” and the November 1 "fall back" will not occur.
"We are done waiting. British Columbia is going to change our clocks just one more time — and then never again," Eby said at a press conference, adding that B.C.’s new time zone will be called “Pacific Time,” or "PT."
He cited several reasons for switching to permanent daylight time, arguing that time changes cause "all types of problems," from dogs waking up at the wrong time to an increase in car accidents.
“Every parent knows that changing clocks twice a year causes a significant amount of chaos on already busy lives," Premier Eby said in a statement.
“...This decision isn’t just about clocks. It’s about making life easier for families, reducing disruptions for businesses and supporting a stable, thriving economy. I am hopeful that our American neighbours will soon join us in ending disruptive time changes.”
Eby also added that British Columbians "have been clear" they do not favour the seasonal time change, a reference to the 2019 public consultation which found that 93 per cent of respondents support an end to the twice-yearly clock change.
The government cites other benefits to switching to permanent daylight time, including:
More consistency to sleep and daily routines.
More usable light during winter evenings.
Reduced administration loads for small businesses.
The ability to plan transportation and technology services more consistently.
B.C. passed a bill to throw out the time change in 2019, but at the time said it wouldn’t go through with it unless neighbouring states and provinces make the change as well.
Ontario passed a similar time amendment act in 2020, but, as of this writing, has yet to put an end to the time change.
B.C. says people and businesses will have 8 months to prepare for November 1, 2026, when clocks would normally turn back.
There are already some small communities in B.C. that observe mountain time year round. Eby told reporters these communities have not experienced any negative impacts from remaining on mountain time year-round and appear to be benefitting from the extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.
What is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight time is a practice that involves changing the clocks to maximize the use of light available during the summer so that darkness falls at a later time of the clock.
The switch is often associated with farmers wanting more light for harvesting, but it was first introduced to save energy during the First World War.
Daylight time hasn’t been federally mandated since 1987.
Other parts of Canada that do not observe the time change are Saskatchewan, meaning it has the same time as Calgary in the summer but Winnipeg in the winter.
The one exception is the Lloydminster area, which participates in the time change.
The Yukon, eastern Quebec, some regions in Ontario, and most of Nunavut also do not adjust the clocks twice a year.
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