Alberta is moving to scrap the twice-year ritual of changing clocks, with a bill now before the legislature that would see the province adopt permanent daylight time starting in November.
Minister of Service Alberta, Dale Nally, who tabled the legislation, said the province is ready to act after decades of debate over the practice, which dates back more than a century in Canada.
“We’re now done talking about it, and we’re taking action,” Nally said, calling the proposal “Alberta Time.”
If passed, Albertans would no longer set their clocks back in the fall, ending a system first adopted more than 50 years ago. The change would mean darker winter mornings but more daylight later in the day.
The move is already prompting a broader shift across Western Canada. The Northwest Territories has said it will follow Alberta’s lead, joining Yukon, B.C. and Saskatchewan in keeping clocks fixed year-round.
Not all jurisdictions would be on the same system, however. While Alberta, B.C. and the territories would adopt permanent daylight time, Saskatchewan would remain on central standard time, meaning clocks in Alberta and Saskatchewan would align year-round despite using different systems.
Manitoba says it is now considering whether to follow suit. Premier Wab Kinew said the shift next door could push provinces toward a unified regional approach.
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“From what I understand Alberta is going to move to Saskatchewan time … the experts are telling us we should also move to Saskatchewan time, so could we maybe have a Prairie time zone by the end of the year,” Kinew said.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he is open to the idea but only if neighbouring provinces did too.
“I’m interested in it, but it’s not something that Nova Scotia would do on its own,” Houston said, adding the issue could be discussed at upcoming meetings of premiers. “I see the pros and cons of it, but Nova Scotia would not do that alone.”
Ontario has also signalled interest. The province passed legislation in 2020 to move to permanent daylight time, contingent on similar action by Quebec and New York. Premier Doug Ford said in 2022 the province would “eventually” make the change, but officials told Global News Tuesday that say nothing has changed since.
Experts say the debate has health implications.
Dr. Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, a neurology professor at the University of Pittsburgh, said eliminating the twice-yearly clock change would be beneficial, but permanent standard time is considered the healthiest option.
“The biannual clock change is the worst choice for health, but the best choice is permanent standard time,” she told Global.
Under Alberta’s plan, winter sunrises would come much later. In Edmonton, the sun would not rise until close to 10 a.m. in December, though evenings would be brighter.
Business groups say they are also watching closely. Stew MacDonald, CEO of OEG Sports & Entertainment, said later start times could pose challenges for scheduling events. “We’re clearly concerned if we’re pushing start times later,” he said.
The change could also create complications for travel, trade and broadcasting, as parts of Canada would fall out of sync with U.S. time zones.
Still, for many Canadians, the shift away from changing clocks is welcome. Some say the current system is outdated and disruptive, particularly for families and shift workers.
If the bill passes, the change would not take effect until the fall.
–with files from The Canadian Press